332 
PLINY'S NATUEAL HISTORY. 
[Book XXVIII. 
only treads in its track, it will be struck with torpor^* in 
consequence. 
CHAP. 45. EEIklEDIES FOR POISONS. 
In case where persons have swallowed quicksilver/^ bacon 
is the proper remedy to be employed. Poisons are neutralized by 
taking asses' milk ; henbane more particularly, mistletoe, hem- 
lock, the flesh of the sea-hare, opocarpathon,^^ pharicon,^''' and 
dorycnium the same, too, where coagulated milk^^ has been 
productive of bad effects, for the bies tings, or first curdled 
milk, should be reckoned as nothing short of a poison.^^ We 
shall have to mention many other uses to which asses' milk is 
applied ; but it should be remembered that in all cases it must 
be used fresh, or, if not, as new as possible, and warmed, for 
there is nothing that more speedily loses its virtue. The 
bones, too, of the ass are pounded and boiled, as an antidote to 
the poison of the sea-hare. The wild ass^^ is possessed of 
similar properties in every respect, but in a much higher 
degree. 
Of the wild horse^^ the Greek writers have made no mention, 
it not being a native of their country ; we have every reason to 
believe, however, that it has the same properties as the animal 
in a tame state, but much more fully developed. Mares' milk 
effectually neutralizes the venom of the sea-hare and all 
narcotic poisons, l^or had the Greeks any knowledge from 
experience of the urus'^* and the bison,^^ although in India the 
forests are filled with herds of wild oxen : it is only reasonable, 
Cloquet and Ajasson admit the truth of this statement : the latter 
suggests that it may be owing to electricity. 
It is no longer reckoned among the poisons. 
Juice of carpathum, a substance which does not appear to have been 
identified ; but supposed by Bruce to have been a gum called sassa, with 
which aloes are adulterated in Abyssinia, a thing that Galen tells us was 
done with the carpathum of the ancients. The sea-hare is the Aplysia 
depilans of Gmelin. It i's not poisonous. See B. ix. c. 72, and B. xxxii. 
c. 3. 
A composite poison, probably, the ingredients of which are now un- 
known. 1^ See Chap. 21 of this Book, 
19 See B. XX. c. 53. 20 gee B. xi. c. 96. 
21 On the contrary, cows* biestings are highly thought of in some parts 
of England ; and a very delicate dish is made of them, baked. 
22 " Onager.'* 23 g^^ B. viii. c. 16, and B. xvi. c. 9. 
21 See B. vih. c. 15. 
