BOOK XX. Lxxxvii. 24o-L\xxTx. 242 



pounded together, and a handful is swallowed to 

 strengthen the throat, stomach, eyes, head and all 

 the senses, as well as the lassitude of women, l)eing a 

 very wholesome medicine indeed. Taken in vinegar 

 it also disperses stone. To Hvid places and bruises it 

 is appHed with honey and goose-grease, or else with 

 Cyprian wax. From mustard-seed, steeped in oHve 

 oil and then compressed. there is extracted an oil, 

 which is used for stiffness of the sinews, loins and 

 hips, and for violent chills. 



LXXXVni. The same nature and properties as 

 those of mustard are said to l)elong to adarca, men- 

 tioned in my account of wild plants," which grows on 

 the bark of reeds right under the tuft. 



LXXXIX. Most authorities have placed among iiorehoyini. 

 the especially valuable plants horehound, called by 

 some Greeks prasion,'' by others linostrophon,'^ by a 

 few philopais ** or philochares,' a plant too well known 

 to need description. Its leaves and seed |)ounded 

 together are good for the bites of serpents, pains in 

 the chest and side, and chronic cough ; and those 

 who have been troubled with spitting of blood derive 

 extraordinai-y benefit from its stalks, boiled in water 

 with Italian millet to mellow the harshness of the 

 juice. It is applied externally with grease for 

 scrofula. There are some who prescribe for a cough 

 a two-finger pinch of the fresh seed, boiled down 

 with a handful of emmcr/ to which a little oil and salt 

 has been added, to be swallowed by the patients 

 when fasting. Others consider incomparable for the 

 same purpose an extract of horehound and fennel ; 

 three sextarii are extracted and boiled down to two ; 

 a scxtarius of honey is added and the whole is again 

 boiled down to two. The dose should be a spoonful 



141 



