CONCERNING ODOURS, 59-62 



plasters and of what some call ' poultices ' prove 

 what virtues they display, since they disperse 

 tumours and abscesses and produce a distinct effect 

 on various other parts of the body, on its surface, 

 but also on the interior parts : for instance, if one 

 lays a plaster on his abdomen and breast, the patient 

 forthwith produces fragrant odours along with his 

 eructations. 1 



Of the characteristic smells of animals, and of certain curious 

 facts as to the smell of animal and vegetable products. 



XIII. The smells of animals correspond to their 

 several characters : each has a smell of its own 

 according to its particular composition. These 

 smells are pleasant and pure when 2 the animal 

 is in its prime and in good condition, and even 

 pleasanter when they 3 are young and tender. 

 But the smell is strongest and least pleasant at 

 the breeding season, and generally when the body 

 is wasting or out of condition : wherefore goats 

 stags hares and other animals have most smell at 

 such titties. 



It is a remarkable fact and peculiar to the goat 

 that goat-skins 4 are sympathetically affected when 

 the breeding season comes round. The reason plainly 

 is that there remains somehow in the hide the sort 

 of virtue or moisture from which arises the breeding 

 impulse when the animal is alive. It is natural 

 therefore that, when this is excited and warmed 

 by the air, the skin also should be excited 5 

 so far as it belongs to it to be so affected. 

 Wherefore the original cause as it were of the 



3 tavr&v can hardly be sound : ? avra (so. T& a). 



4 i.e. the skin of a dead goat. 

 6 W. adds Ktvtiff&ai after 



381 



