BOOK XXIII. Lx. 113-LX11. 116 



drink. They are taken by themselves in rain water to 

 arrest looseness of the bowels. The root when boiled 

 yiekls a juice which kills tape-worm, the dose being 

 one victoriatus by weight. The same root, thoroughly 

 boiled in water serves the same purposes as lycium. 



LXI. There is also a wild pomegranate, so called wndpomc- 

 because of its likeness to the cvdtivated tree. Its "''"""'"• 

 roots, which have a red skin, act as a soporific if 

 taken in wine, a denarius by weight being the dose. 

 Its seed taken in drink dries up water under the 

 skin." If pomcgranate rind be burned the smoke 

 keeps off gnats. 



LXII. All kinds of pears are indigestible food, Pears. 

 even for men in hcalth ; and to the sick they are as 

 strictly forbidden as wine. Cooked, however, they 

 are remarkably wholesome and pleasant, especially 

 those of Crustumium. All kinds of pears, however, 

 if boiled down with honey are wholesome to the 

 stomach. Out of pears are made plasters for dis- 

 persing flcsh lesions, and they use a decoction of 

 them for indurations. By themselves they neutralize 

 the poison of toadstools and tree-fungi, expelling it 

 by their weiglit in addition to the counteracting effect 

 of their juice. The wikl pear is very slow in ripening. 

 Sliced the pears are hung up and dried for checking 

 looseness of the bowels, for which purpose a decoction 

 also of them is efficacious, taken as drink. A decoction 

 also of the leaves with the fruit is used for the same 

 purposes. The ashes of pear wood are even more 

 efficacious against the poison of tree-fungi. Apples 

 and pears, even a small quantity, make a remarkably 

 lieavy load for beasts of burden. It is said that a 

 remedy for this is to give them a few to eat, or at 

 least to show some, before beginning the journey. 



491 



