BOOK XXIV. cxvm. i8i-cxx. 184 



superficial abscesses. The person gathering it, they 

 add, ought to be fasting, and in this state he should 

 proceed to the house of the patient while he is away, 

 and on his appearance say three times : " Fasting I 

 give a cure to a fasting patient," and so fasten the 

 nine joints as an amulet. This is to be done on three 

 days running. The kind of grass that has seven 

 spaces between knots makes a very effective amulet 

 for headache. For severe pains in the bladder some 

 authorities prescribe a decoction of grass in wine, 

 boiled down to one half, to be drunk after the bath. 



CXIX. There are some who speak of three Idnds of 

 pointed grass. When on each head there are at 

 most five points they call it " finger grass." These 

 points plaited together they insert into the nostrils 

 and draw them out again to cause bleeding. The 

 second kind, which is Hke the aizoiim, they use with 

 axle-grease for whitlows, hangnails, and when flesh 

 has grown over the nails, calling it " finger grass," 

 because it heals the fingers. There is a third kind of 

 finger grass, but it is slender, gi'owing on ruins or 

 tiles. Its properties are caustic, and it checks 

 creeping ulcers. Grass put round the head checks 

 copious bleeding at the nose. It is said that in the 

 district of Babylon camels are killed by the grass 

 that grows by the side of the roads. 



CXX. Held in no less honour is fenugreek, which is Fenugreek. 

 also called tehs, carphos, buceras," and aegoceras,'' 

 because its seed is shaped Hke small horns ; the 

 Roman name for it is sihcia. The method of sowing 

 it we have described in its proper place." Its pro- 

 perties are to dry, to soften and to dissolve. The 

 juice of the decoction is of help in several ailments of 

 women : whether it is hardness, swelling or con- 



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VOL. VII. F 



