BOOK XX. XLix. r26-L. 129 



coiighing of babies is soothed. A decoction of its 

 root in water extracts broken bones. We have 

 ah-eady spoken of rocket as an aphrocHsiac ^^' if 

 three leaves of wild rocket plucked with the left 

 hand and pounded are drunk in hydromel, they so 

 aet. 



L. On the other hand cress is antaphrodisiac, but 

 as we have already said ** sharpens the senses. 

 There are two varieties of it. The white acts as a 

 purge, and carries bile away if one denarius by wei<;ht 

 of it be taken in seven of water. It is an excellent 

 cure for scrofula if applied with bcan meal aiid covered 

 with a cabbage leaf. The other kind, which is darker, 

 purges away peccant humours of the hcad, clears 

 the vision, calms if taken in vinegar troubled minds, 

 and benefits the spleen when drunk in wine or eaten 

 with a fig, or a cough if taken in honey. provided 

 that the dose be repeated daily and administered on 

 an empty stomach. The seed in wine expels all 

 parasites of the intestines, more etfectively however 

 if there be added wild mint. Taken with wikl mar- 

 joram and sweet wine it is good for asthma and 

 cough, and a decoction in goat's milk reheves pains 

 in the chest. AppHed with pitch it disperses super- 

 ticial abscesses ; appHed in vinegar it extracts thorns 

 from the body and reinoves spots. When used for 

 carcinoma white of egg is added. It is appHed in 

 vinegar to the spleen, but with babies it is best 

 aj)plied in honey. Sextius adds that burnt cress 

 keeps away serpents, and neutralizes scorpion stings ; 

 that the pounded plant reheves head-ache, and 

 mange, if mustard be added ; that pounded and 

 |)!aced with fig on the ears it reheves hardness of 

 hearing, and toothache if its juice be poured into the 



75 



