204 
Pliny's natural history. 
[Book XXVI. 
purpose it is boiled down in a new earthen vessel to one third, 
the vessel being filled to the brim, and the decoction taken 
in doses of one hemina for three successive days. It is strictly- 
forbidden, however, to eat any food of a greasy nature the day 
before taking it. 
Among the Greeks there are various opinions in relation to 
this plant. According to some, who give it the same name of 
hippuris," it has leaves like those of the pine ti'ee, and of a 
swarthy hue ; and, if we are to believe them, it is possessed of 
virtues of such a marvellous nature, that if touched by the 
patient only, it will arrest haemorrhage. Some authorities call it 
hi ppuris," others, again, ephedron,'' and others anabasis;" 
and they tell us that it grows near trees, the trunks of which it 
ascends, and hangs down therefrom in numerous tufts of black, 
rush-like hair, much like a horse's tail in appearance. The 
branches, we are told, are thin and articulated, and the leaves, 
few in number, small, and thin, the seed round, and similar to 
coriander in appearance, and the root ligneous : it grows, they 
say, in plantations more particularly. 
This plant is possessed of astringent properties. The juice 
of it, kept in the nostrils, arrests bleeding therefrom, and it 
acts astringently upon the bowels. Taken in doses of three 
cyathi, in sweet wine, it is a cure for dysentery, is an efficient 
diuretic, and is curative of cough, hardness of breathing, rup- 
tures, and serpiginous affections. Eor diseases of the intestines 
and bladder, the leaves are taken in drink ; it has the property, 
also, of reducing ruptures of the groin. 
The Greek writers describe another'^^ hippuris, also, with 
shorter tufts, softer and whiter. This last, they say, is remark- 
ably good for sciatica, and, applied with vinegar, for wounds, 
it having the property of stanching the blood. Eruised nym- 
phaea"''^ is also applied to wounds. Peucedanum''''is taken in drink 
with cypress seed, for discharges of blood at the mouth or by 
the lower passages. Sideritis"^^ is possessed of such remark- 
able virtues, that applied to the wound of a gladiator just 
inflicted, it will stop the flow of blood ; an effect which is equally 
produced by an application of charred fennel-giant, or of the 
Identified by Littre with the Ephedra fragilis of Linnaeus. Fee gives 
as its synonym the Equiseetum arvense of Linnaeus, the Common horse-tail, 
or Corn horse-tail. ''^ See B. xxv. c. 37. 
See B. xxv. c. 70. gee B. xxv. c. 15. 
