242 
PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXVII. 
CHAP. 45. THE CONFERVA I TWO REMEDIES. 
The conferva*^ is peculiar to running streams, those of the 
Alpine regions more particularly ; receiving its name from 
conferrumino/'*'* to solder together. Properly speaking, it is 
rather a fresh-water sponge than a moss or a plant, being a 
dense, porous mass of filaments. I know an instance where a 
man, who fell to the ground while lopping a tree of consider- 
able height, and broke nearly every bone of his body, was cured 
by the agency of this plant. The patient's body was covered all 
over with conferva, the application being continually sprinkled 
with water the moment it began to dry, and only removed for 
the purpose of changing it when the plant gave signs of losing 
its virtues.^^ It is hardly credible with what rapidity he re- 
covered. 
CHAP. 46. (9.) THE coccus CNIDITJS, OR GRAIN OF CNIDOS : TWO 
REMEDIES. 
The Cnidian grain^^ has just the colour of the kermes berry. '^'^ 
It is larger than a peppercorn, and has very heating proper- 
ties : hence it is that when used, it is taken in crumb of 
bread, that it may not burn the throat in passing downwards. 
It is a sovereign remedy for hemlock, and arrests*® looseness of 
the bowels. 
CHAP. 47. THE DIPSACOS : TWO REMEDIES. 
The dipsacos"^^ has leaves like those of the lettuce, with 
prickly tubercles on the middle of the back. The stem of it^ 
two cubits in length, is bristling all over with prickles of a 
similar nature. The joints of the stem are closely covered 
with two leaves, which form a concave axil in which a saltish 
dew-like liquid collects. At the summit of the stem there 
Possibly the Conferva rivularis, or the C. glomerata of Linnaeus, the 
River conferva or Eiver sponge, or the Green cluster conferva. 
On account of its asserted agglutinative properties. In reaUty it is 
an inert plant, and is never used in medicine. 
Fee considers this statement as fabulous in every respect. 
16 See B. xiii. c. 35. 
*7 "Coccus." See B. xvi. c. 12. 
This is not the case. Sillig is of opinion that the passage is imperfect. 
*9 The same plant as the Labrura Venereum of B. xxv. c. 108. It is 
used for carding cloth, but is no longer employed in medicine. 
Hence its name " Venus' bath." 
