BOOK XXXV. Li. 180-L11. 183 



by its smell. Babylonian bitumen is said to be 



serviceable for cataract and film in the eye, and also 



for leprosy lichen and itch. It is also used as a 



liniment for gout ; while all varieties of it are used 



to fold back eyelashes that get in the way of sight, 



and also to cure toothache, when smeared on with 



soda. Taken as a draught with wine it alleviates 



an inveterate cough and shortness of breath ; and it 



is also given in the same way in cases of dysentery, 



nnd arrests diarrhoea. Drunk however with vinegar 



it dissolves and brings away coagulated blood. 



It reduces pains in the loins and also in the joints, 



and applied with barley-meal it makes a special 



kind of plaster that bears its name. It stops a flow of 



blood, closes up wounds, and unites severed muscles. 



It is employed also for quartan fevers, the dose 



being a dram of bitumen and an equal weight of 



wild mint pounded up with a sixth of a dram of 



myrrh. Burnt bitumen detects cases of epilepsy, 



and mixed with wine and beaver-oil its scent dissi- 



pates sufFocations of the womb ; its smoke when 



applied from beneath reHeves prolapsus of the 



womb ; and drunk in wine it hastens menstruation. 



Among other uses of it, it is appHed as a coating to 



copper and bronze vessels to make them fireproof. 



We have stated that it also used to be the practice xxxiv, 15. 



to employ it for staining copper and bronze and 



coating statues. It has also been used as a substitute 



for hme, the walls of Babylon being cemented with it. 



In smithies also it is in favour for varnishing iron and 



the heads of nails and many other uses. 



LII. Not less important or very different is the Aium. 

 use made of alum," by which is meant a salt exuda- 

 tion from the earth. There are several varieties of 



395 



