290 
PLINX'S NATURAL HISTOET. [Book XV. 
from henbane,^^ lupines,^^ and narcissus. Great quantities of 
oil are made in Egypt, too, of radish seed, or else of a 
common grass known there as chortinon.^^ Sesamum also 
yields an oil, and so does the nettle,^ its oil being known as 
cnidinum."^ In other countries, too, an oil is extracted 
from lilies ^ left to steep in the open air, and subjected to the 
influence of the sun, moon, and frosts. On the borders of 
Cappadocia and Galatia, they make an oil from the herbs of 
the country, known as Selgicum,"* remarkably useful for 
strengthening the tendons, similar, in fact, to that of Iguyium^ 
in Italy. From pitch an oil ^ is extracted, that is known as 
pissinum it is made by boiling the pitch, and spreading 
fleeces over the vessels to catch the steam, and then wring- 
ing them out : the most approved kind is that which comes 
from Bruttium, the pitch of that country being remarkably 
rich and resinous : the colour of this oil is yellow. 
There is an oil that grows spontaneously in the maritime 
parts of Syria, known to us as " elseomeii it is an unctuous 
substance which distils from certain trees, of a thicker consis- 
tency than honey, but somewhat thinner than resin ; it has a 
sweet flavour, and is employed for medicinal purposes. Old 
olive oil® is of use for some kinds of maladies ; it is thought to 
95 Hyoscyamus. A medicinal oil is still extracted from it. See B, xxiii. 
c. 49. 
3^ This medicinal oil is no long-er used. The Lupinus albus was formerly- 
held in greater esteem than it is now. 
The Eaphanus sativus of Linnaeus. See B. xix. c. 26. This is one 
of the fixed oils ; yarieties of it are rape oil, and colza oil, now so exten- 
sively used. 
98 From the Greek xoproQ, " grass." This medicinal oil would be to- 
tally without power or effect. 
99 A fixed oil is still extracted in Egypt from the grain known as sesa- 
mum. ^ See B. xxii. c. 15. 
2 From Kvidfj, a " nettle.'* The nettle, or Urtica urens of Linnseus, has 
no oleaginous principles in its seed. 
2 Lily oil is still used as a medicinal composition : it is made from the 
petals of the white lily, Lilium candidum of Linnseus. 
^ From Selga, a town of Pisidia. See B. xxiii. c. 49. 
5 See B, iii. c. 9, and B. xxiii. c. 49. 
^ A volatile oil, mixed with a small proportion of empyreumatic oil and 
carbon. 
" Oil-honey.'' Probably a terebinthine, or oleo-resin. See B. xxiii. 
c. 50, 
8 When rancid and oxygenized by age, it has an hritating quality, and 
may be found useful for herpetic diseases. 
