154 
pliny's natural history. 
[Book xxvr. 
one class of diseases attacks the young, another confines itself 
to adults ; while one malady extends itself only to the higher 
classes, another is felt exclusively by the poor. 
CHAP. 4. — CAEBU^^CLE. 
"We find it stated in the Annals, that it was in the censorship^ 
of L. Paul us and Q,. Marcius that carbuncle was first intro- 
duced into Italy, a malady which till then had confined itself 
solely to the province of Gallia Narbonensis. In the year 
in which I am writing these lines, two persons of consular 
rank have died of this disease, Julius Eufus^^ and Q. Lecanius 
Eassus;^^ the former in consequence of an incision unskilfully 
made by his medical attendants, the latter through a wound 
upon the thumb of the left hand by pricking a carbuncle with 
a needle, a wound so small originally as to be hardly percep- 
tible. 
This disease makes its appearance in the more hidden^^ parts 
of the human body, and mostly beneath the tongue. It ori- 
ginally has the form of a hard, red, pimple, with a blackish 
head mostly, though sometimes of a'livid colour. It produces 
tension of the flesh, but unattended with swelling, pain, or 
any itching sensation ; indeed, the only symptom that accom- 
panies it is a confirmed drowsiness, Avhich overpowers the pa- 
tient, and carries him off in the course of three days. Some- 
times, however, it is accompanied with shuddering, and small 
pustules about the sore ; and occasionally, though but rarely, 
with fever. When these symptoms extend to the fauces and 
(Bsophagus, death ensues with the greatest rapidity. 
CHAP. 5, ELEPHANTIASIS. 
We have already stated that elephantiasis^^ was unknown 
A.u.c. 590. 
Carbunculus." A malignant pustule, accompanied with swelling and 
ending witli gangrene, is still known by this name, but it does not mani- 
fest any particular preference for the mouth and tongue. Fee says that 
carbuncle was recently (1833) endemic in Provence, the ancient Gallia 
Narbonensis, for which, reason it had received the name of Charbon Pro- 
vencal." 
11 Consul, A.u.c. 819. 12 Consul, A.u.c. 816. 
13 Judging from this symptom, Dalechamps says that it looks more like 
chancre than carbuncle. . 1* In JB. xx. c. 52. 
1^ Supposed, as Pliny says, to have originally come from Upper Egypt. 
