BOOK XXIII. Lxxv. i44-LX\vii. 147 



eruptions on the face. Taken in water, too, they 

 remove pains of the Hver and kidneys, and they are 

 often made also into an electuary for this purpose 

 with resin from the turpentine tree. For stone and 

 strangury they are beneficial taken in raisin wine, 

 and for clearing the skin taken crushed in hydromeL 

 In an electuary they are good for the Hver, for a 

 cough and for colic, if a little elehsphacus " be added. 

 The electuary is taken in honey, and is of the size 

 of a hazel-nut. It is said that if about five of these 

 almonds are taken before a carouse drinkers do not 

 become intoxicated, and that foxes die if they eat 

 them without having water at hand to lap. Less 

 efficacious as a remedy are sweet ahiionds, yet these 

 also are purging and diuretic. Eaten fresh they lie 

 heavy on the stomach. 



LXXVI. Greek nuts ^ taken in vinegar with 

 wormwood seed are said to cure jaundice, appHed by 

 themselves afFections of the anus, condylomata in 

 particular, as well as coughs and spitting of blood. 



LXXVII. Walnuts have received their name '^ in Wuimits. 

 Greek from the heaviness of the head which they 

 cause ; the trees themsehes, in fact, and their leaves 

 give out a poison that penetrates to the brain. The 

 kernels if they are eaten '^ have the same effect, 

 though the pain is less severe. Freshly gathered, 

 however, they are more agreeable. The dried nuts 

 are more oily, and injurious to the stomach, difficult 

 of digestion, productive of headache and bad for a 



' The word Kapvov (nut, especially walnut) is here supposed 

 to be derived from Kapo^, torpor. • 



^ With ged the thought is : " but they must be eaten, not 

 merely smelt, as the leaves are; " with el : " even when eaten 

 they bring on heaviness." 



