304 
PL'TNT's natural HISTOET. [Book XXVIII. 
CHAP. 22. EEMEDIES DERIYED FROM THE SPITTLE OF FEMALES. 
A woman's fasting spittle is generally considered highly 
efficacious for bloodshot eyes : it is good also for defluxions of 
those organs, the inflamed corners of the eyes being moistened 
with it every now and then ; the result, too, is still more suc- 
cessful, if the woman has abstained from food and wine the 
day before. 
I find it stated that head-ache may be alleviated by tying a 
woman's fiilet^^ round the head. 
CHAP. 23. FACTS CONI^KCTED WITH THE MENSTKXJAL DISCHAKGE. 
Over and above these particulars, there is no limit to the 
marvellous powers attributed to females. For, in the first 
place, hailstorms, thej^ say, whirlwinds, and lightning^^ even, 
will be scared away b}^ a woman uncovering her body while 
her monthly courses are upon her. The same, too, with all 
other kinds of tempestuous weather ; and out at sea, a storm 
may be lulled by a woman uncovering her body merely, even 
though not menstruating at the time. As to the menstrual 
discharge itself, a thing that in other respects, as^^ already 
stated on a more appropriate occasion, is productive of the most 
monstrous effects, there are some ravings about it of a most 
dreadful and unutterable nature. Of these particulars, how- 
ever, I do not feel so much shocked at mentioning the follow- 
ing. If the menstrual discharge coincides with an eclipse of 
the moon or sun, the evils resulting from it are irremediable ; 
and no less so, when it happens while the moon is in conjunc- 
tion with the sun ; the congress with a woman at such a period 
being noxious, and attended with fatal effects to the man. At 
this period also, the lustre of purple is tarnished by the touch 
of a woman : so much more baneful is her influence at this 
time than at any other. At any other time, also, if a woman 
strips herself naked while she is menstruating, and walks 
round a field of wheat, the caterpillars, worms, beetles, and 
other vermin, will fall from off the ears of corn. Metrodorus 
of Scepsos tells us that this discovery was first made in Cappa- 
docia ; and that, in consequence of such multitudes of can- 
" Fascia." Either a stomacher, or a fillet for the head. 
The mention of lightnmg here, Hardouin seems to look upon as an 
interpolation. 25 yu. c. 13. 
