BOOK XXI, Lxxvii, 132-LXXIX, 135 



swollen after child-birth, to incipient fistulas ** of the 

 eye and to erysipelas. The smell induces sleep. 

 It is beneficial for a decoction of the root to be taken 

 by sufferers from cramp, violent falls, convulsions, 

 asthma and also chronic cough, Three or four sprays 

 of it are boiled down to one third. A draught of 

 this is cleansing for women after miscarriage, and 

 removes stitch in the side or stone in the bladder, 

 It is pounded with Hly petals to make dusting 

 powders, and for the sake of the perfume is laid 

 among clothes. Combretum, which I have said * 

 is similar to baccar, beaten up with axle-grease is a 

 wonderful cure for wounds, 



LXXVIII. Hazelwort '^ is said to be beneficial for Vsesof 



1. i-j. u-ii • u- hazelwort 



hver complamts, an ounce bemg taken in a nemma ami of oiher 

 of diluted honey wine. It purges the bowels after p'»"'*- 

 the manner of hellebore, and is good for dropsy, the 

 hypochondria, the uterus and for jaundice. When 

 added to must it makes a diuretic wine. It is dug 

 up when the leaves are forming ; ^* it is dried and 

 then stored up. In the shade it very quickly goes 

 mouldy. 



LXXIX, Since certain authorities, as I have 

 said,^ have given to the root of baccar the name of 

 rustic nard, I will now add the medicinal uses of 

 Gallic nard also, which I mentioned when deaUng 

 with foreign trees,/ postponing fuller treatment to 

 the present occasion. So for serpent bites it is useful 

 in doses of two drachmae taken in wine, for flatulence 



"* With Mayhoffs conjecture, "falling." Dioscorides doea 

 not help, but to dig up a plant before the leaves are fully 

 formed is odd. Perhaps folia means petals. 



' See § 29 of this book. Dioscorides {loc. cit.) has daapov 

 0( Se vdpSos aypia. 



f See XII. § 45. 



259 



