BOOK VII. V. 15-18 



heated, and put a sextans of axle-grease down its 

 throat. 



Erysipelas, which the shepherds call pusula, is 16 

 incurable. Unless it is confined to the first sheep 

 which is attacked by this kind of trouble, it infects 

 and lays low the whole flock, if it does not yield to 

 medical or surgical treatment ; for it blazes forth at 

 almost any touch. The only remedy which it does not 

 reject is fomentation with goat's milk, which, when 

 poured upon it, as it were, charms by its touch the fierv 

 raging of the disease, postponing rather than prevent- 

 ing the destruction of the flock. The celebrated writer 17 

 of Egyptian race, Bolus of Mendesium,*" whose com- 

 mentaries, which in Greek are called Hand-wrought 

 Products and are published under the pseudonym of 

 Democritus, is of opinion that as a precaution against 

 this disease the hides of the sheep ought to be fre- 

 quently and carefully examined, so that if any trace of 

 disease is by chance discovered in any one of them, 

 we may immediately dig a trench on the threshold of 

 the sheep-fold and, laying it on its back, inter alive 

 the animal which is suffering from erysipelas and 

 allow the whole flock to pass over its buried body ; 

 for by doing this the disease is driven away. 



Bile, not the least fatal disease in summer, is 18 

 dispelled by making the victim drink stale human 

 urine. The same remedy is also given to a sheep 

 which is suffering from jaundice. If rheum is trouble- 



° Pliny, N.H. XXIV. 102 ; Vitruvius IX. 3. His work was 

 entitled ovfjiTradeLcov Kal avriTradeLajv. 



13 pusillosa S^AR. 1* super S : sub AR. 



1^ minima ed. pr. : nimia SAR. 

 i« ipsa S : ipse AR. 



273 



