BOOK XXIII. xxxin. 68-x.xxv. 72 



and fat, is used also for tumours of the jaws and of 

 the neck. 



XXXIV. Next in iniportance, as is generally oHves. 

 recognized, comes the olive. The leaves are, to a 

 verv high degree, astringent, detergent and binding. 

 Accordingly sores are healed if these leaves are 

 chewed and appUed, headache by a liniment of 

 leaves and oil, by a decoction with honey parts which 

 physicians have cauterized, inflammation of the gums 

 too, whitlows and foul, putrifying sores ; with honey, 



the decoction checks bleeding from sinewy parts" of 

 the body. The juice of the leaves is good for 

 carbuncular sores and pustules around the eyes, and 

 for prolapse of the pupil, being therefore a common 

 ingredient of salves, as it heals chronic streaming 

 from the eyes and sores that have eaten into the 

 eyelids. Now the juice is exti-acted by crushing the 

 leaves with wine and rain water, after which the 

 whole is dried and worked into lozenges. A woollen 

 pessary made from it arrests excessive menstruation, 

 and it is useful for sores running with sanies, as well 

 as for condykimata, erysipelas, spreading sores and 

 epinvctis.'' 



XXXV. The flowers of the olive have the same 

 properties. Stems are burnt that have blossoms 

 on them, for the ash to serve as a substitute for 

 spodium « ; wiiie is poured over this and it is again 

 burned. Suppurations and superficial abscesses are 

 treated by an application of this ash or of the leaves 

 pounded with honey ; for the eyes, however, pearl 

 l)arley is added. The juice exuding from the wood, 

 burnt while still green, heals Uchen, eruptions of 

 scurf, and running sores. As for '^ the drops exuding 

 from the tree itself, especially from the Ethiopian 



461 



