BOOK VII. V. 8-II 



pumice-stone. The same disease is also treated with 9 

 oil-lees boiled down by two-thirds, and also with 

 stale human urine in which red-hot tiles have been 

 plunged. Some people, however, put the urine 

 itself upon the fire and reduce its volume by one- 

 fifth and mix with it an equal quantity of the juice 

 of green hemlock and then pour into each urn of 

 this liquid a sextarius of crushed salt.** An equal 10 

 quantity of ground sulphur and liquid pitch boiled 

 over a slow fire has a good effect. A passage in the 

 Georgics, however, declares that there is no more 

 sovereign remedy. 



Than if with knife one cuts the ulcer's head ; 

 The scab, if covered, gains fresh food and life.* 



That is why it must be opened and treated, like other 

 wounds, with medicaments. The poet presently 

 adds, with equal wisdom, that, when sheep are in a 

 state of fever, they should be bled either from the 

 pastern or between the two parts of the hoof; for, as 

 he says, 



It oft has greatly helped to keep away 

 The kindled flames of fever, if you strike 

 The vein which throbs with blood beneath the 

 foot." 



We also draw off blood beneath the eyes and from 11 

 the ears. Lameness also troubles sheep in two ways, 

 either when fouling or galling occurs in the actual 

 division of the hoof, or when the same place harbours 



" The reading here is uncertain, but triti et picis has pro- 

 bably come in from the following sentence. 

 " lb. 453 f. 

 ' lb. 459 f. 



269 



