BOOK XX. X. 20-XII1. 24 



X. Wild turnip grows chiefly in fields ; it is bushy, 

 with a white seed, which is twice as big as that of 

 the poppy. For smoothing the skin of the face or 

 of the whole body it is used when mixed with equal 

 parts of the meal of vetches, barley, wheat and 

 lupins. The root is not good for anything. 



XI. The Greeks i-etain in pharmacology also two xanws. 

 varieties of navews. The one with angular leaf 

 stalks, and a flower like that of dill, called bunion, 



is beneficial for the purgings of women, for the 

 bladder and for the urine, in the form of a decoction, 

 drunk in hydromel, or in a drachma of the juice ; the 

 seed, roasted and ground, taken in four cyathi of 

 warm water, is good for dysentery. It checks urine, 

 however, if a Unseed drink be not taken with it. The 

 other kind of navew is called biinias ; it is like the 

 radish and turnip, its seed being a splendid remedy 

 for poisons, for which reason it is also used in 

 antidotes. 



XII. We have said" that there is also a wild liaduies^i 

 radish. The most popular kind is found in Arcadia, J.^','^J^'" 

 although it also grows elsewhere. It is rather useful 



as a diuretic. This is its only merit, for in other 

 respects it is heating. In Italy it is also called 

 armoracia. 



XIII. Cultivated radishes moreover, besides what 

 has been said about them, purge the stomach, loosen 

 phlegm, promote urine and bring away bile. In 

 addition, a decoction of the skin in wine, drunk in 

 the morning up to three cyathi, break up and 

 eUminate gall-stones. A decoction of the same in 

 vinegar and water is used as Uniment for the bites 

 of serpents. The radish too is good for a cough * 

 if taken with honey in the morning on an empty 



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