BOOK XXIV. XXII. 35-xxiii. 38 



an ointment for pains in the limbs ; it is removed after 

 a walk has been taken " in the sun. Slave-dealers 

 especially are anxious to use this ointment for rubbing 

 over the whole bodies of their slaves, with the object 

 of correcting thinness ; by walks afterwards they 

 loosen the skin of every limb, and they have the 

 further object of making possible the assimilation of a 

 greater quantity of food. Next in popularity after 

 terebinth resin comes that from the lentisk, which has 

 an astringent quality and is more diuretic than the 

 others. The rest of the resins loosen the bowels, 

 cure indigestion, relieve chronic coughs, and also, 

 when used as a fumigation, remove obstructions in 

 the uterus. These are specific *" for the poison of 

 mistletoe, and with beef suet and honey thev heal 

 superficial abscesses and similar aifections. Lentisk 

 resin is a most excellent remedy for turning outwards 

 ingrowing eye-Iashes, and is also very useful for frac- 

 tures and for pus in the ears, and also for irritation 

 of the genitals. Pine resin is a very good remedy 

 for wounds in the head. 



XXIII. Pitch too, its source and the methods ot' Pitch. 

 preparing it, I have already " mentioned, as well 

 as its two kinds, the thick and the thin. Of the 

 thick pitches the most useful in medicine is the 

 Bruttian, because being both very rich and very 

 resinous it combines the useful properties of both,'* 

 the yellow-red kind being of higher valiie than any 

 other because of this combination. For the further 

 opinion about pitch, that the male tree produces 

 a better kind, cannot I think be entertained. The 

 nature of pitch is to warm, and to fill out the 

 flesh. Mixed with pearl barley it is a specific 

 antidote for the bite of the horned viper, and with 



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