BOOK XXV. Lxxxix. 139-XCI. 142 



rubbing with hellebore beaten up and boiled down in 

 oil or rose oil, or by peucedanum in oil or rose oil and 

 vinegar. The latter made lukewarm is good for 

 the pains generally felt on one side of the head, and 

 also for giddiness. The body is rubbed over with 

 the root to promote perspiration, for it has heating 

 properties. 



XC. Psyllion is called by some cynoides, by others 

 chrystalUon, by others siceHcon, and by others 

 cynomyia ; it has a slender root of no use in medicine, 

 numerous twigs with grains like beans " at the point, 

 leaves not unHke a dog's head and seed not unhke 

 a flea : hence too its name. The seed is in berries, 

 and the plant itself is to be found in vineyards. Its 

 coohng and dispersing properties are very strong. 

 The part used is the seed. For headache it is applied 

 to the forehead and temples in vinegar and rose oil or 

 in vinegar and water. For other purposes it is used as 

 Hniment. An acetabuhim thickens and coagulates a 

 sextarius of water ; then it should be beaten up and 1 



the paste appHed as Hniment to any pain, gathering or 

 inflammation. Wounds in the head are healed by 

 aristolochia, which also brings away fragments of 

 bone in other parts of the body, but especially in the 1 



head ; the same with pHstolochia. ThiyseHnum is 

 not unHke celery. The root of it chewed clears 

 away catarrhs of the head. 



XCI. It is supposed that the sight is improved by Remedies 

 the greater centaury if the eyes are fomented by an '^* ^^^' 

 infusion of it in water ; while by the juice of the lesser 

 centaury with the addition of honey gnats are 



" This is a very strange phrase, and Fee calls the descrip- 

 tion absurd. 



235 



