86 
PLINY S NATURAL HISTORY. 
[Book XXy. 
ratber surprises me, though possibly it may, have been so 
called because the shores of Britannia are in the vicinity, and 
only separated by the ocean. At all events, it was not called 
by this name from the fact of its growing there in any great 
abundance, that is quite certain, for at the time I am speaking 
of, Britannia was still independent.^^ 
CHAP. 7. WHAT DISEASES ARE ATTENDED AVITH THE GREATEST PAIN. 
NAMES OF PERSONS WHO HAVE DISCOVERED FAMOUS PLANTS. 
In former times there was a sort of ambition, as it were, of 
adopting plants, by bestowing upon them one's name, a thing 
that has been done before now by kings even, as we shall have 
occasion to show so desirable a tiding did it appear to have 
made the discovery of some plant, and thus far to have contri- 
buted to the benefit of mankind. At the present day, however, 
it is far from impossible that there may be some who will 
look upon these researches of ours as frivolous even, so distaste- 
ful to a life of ease and luxury are the very things which so 
greatly conduce to our welfare. 
Still, however, it will be only right to mention in the first 
place those plants the discoverers of which are known, their 
various properties being classified^^ according to the several 
maladies for the treatment of which they are respectively em- 
ployed : in taking a review of which one cannot do otherwise 
than bewail the unhappy lot of mankind, subject as it is, in 
addition to chances and changes, and those new afflictions which 
every hour is bringing with it, to thousands of diseases which 
menace the existence of each mortal being. It would seem 
almost an act of folly to attempt to determine which of these 
diseases is attended with the most excruciating pain, seeing 
that every one is of opinion that the malady with which for 
the moment he himself is afflicted, is the most excruciating 
and insupportable. The general experience, however, of the 
present age has come to the conclusion, that the most agonizing 
torments are those attendant upon strangury, resulting from 
calculi in the bladder ; next to them, those arising from ma- 
ladies of the stomach ; and in the third place, those caused by 
pains and aifections of the head ; for it is more generally in 
3^ And therefore comparatively unknown, 
26 In c. 33, et seg., of this Book. ^7 in the next Book. 
