BOOK XXV. xcv. 151-154 



XCV. Hemlock too is poisonous, a plant with a Hemtockfor 

 bad name because the Athenians made it their "** ^^**' ^''^" 

 instrument of capital punishment, biit its uses for 

 many purposes must not be passed by. It has a 

 poisonous seed, but the stem is eaten by many 

 both as a salad and when cooked in a saucepan. 

 This stem is smooth, and jointed Uke a reed, of a dark 

 colour, often more than two cubits high, and branchy 

 at the top ; the leaves resemble those of coriander, 

 but are more tender, and of a strong smell ; the seed is 

 coarser than that of anise, the root hollow and of no 

 use. The seed and leaves have a chiUing quaUty, and 

 it is this that causes death ; the body begins to grow 

 cold at the extremities. The remedy lies in using the 

 warming nature of %vine before the vital parts are 

 reached ; but taken in wine hemlock is invariably 

 fatal. A juice is extracted from the leaves and 

 blossom, for the best time to do so is when the 

 hemlock is in flower. A better juice is extracted 

 from the crushed seed and thickened in the sun for 

 making into lozenges. It causes death by thicken- 

 ing the blood — this is its other outstanding property 

 — and for this reason spots are to be seen on the 

 bodies of those who have been killed in this way. 

 This juice is used instead of water as a solvent 

 for drugs. There is also made from it a poultice to 

 cool the stomach. Its chief use however is as a local 

 apphcation round the eyes to check summer fluxes 

 and to allay pains in them. It forms an ingredient 

 of eye salves, and it checks all catarrhs generally. 

 The leaves also relieve every kind of swelhng, pain or 

 flux. Anaxilaus is responsible for the statement that 

 if the breasts are rubbed with hemlock from adult 

 maidenhood onwards they will always remain firm, 



245 



