Chap. 11.] EEMEDIES FOB AFFECTIOITS OE THE THROAT. 433 
salt, and used for the cure of these diseases. The buprestis^ 
is an insect but rarely found in Italy, and very similar to a 
scarabaeus, with long legs. Concealed among the grass, it is 
very liable to be swallowed unobserved, by oxen in particular ; 
and the moment it comes in contact with the gall, it causes 
such a degree of inflammation, that the animal bursts asunder ; 
a circumstance to which the insect owes its name. Applied 
topically with he-goat suet, it removes lichens on the face, 
owing to its corrosive properties, as previously^^ stated. A 
vulture's blood, beaten up with cedar resin and root of white 
chamseleon — a plant which we have already^^. mentioned — and 
covered with a cabbage leaf, when applied, is good for the cure 
of leprosy ; the same, too, with the legs of locusts, beaten up 
with he- goat suet. Pimples are treated with poultry grease, 
beaten up and kneaded with onions. One very useful sub- 
stance for the face is honey in which the bees have died ; but a 
sovereign detergent for that part is swans' grease, which has 
also the property of effacing wrinkles. Brand-marks®^ are 
removed by using pigeons' dung, diluted in vinegar. 
CHAP. 11. EEMEDIES EOR AFEECTIOIS'S OE THE THEOAT. 
I find it stated that catarrhs oppressive to the head may be 
cured by the patient kissing a mule's nostrils. Affections of 
the uvula and pains in the fauces are alleviated by using the dung 
of lambs before they have begun to graze, dried in the shade. 
Diseases of the uvula are cured with the juices of a snail pierced 
with a needle ; the snail, however, must be then hung up in the 
smoke. The same maladies are treated also with ashes of 
burnt swallows, mixed with honey ; a preparation which is 
equally good for affections of the tonsillary glands. Sheep's 
milk, used as a gargle, alleviates diseases of the fauces and 
tonsillary glands, n Millepedes, bruised with pigeons' dung, are 
taken as a gargle, with raisin wine ; and they are applied, exter- 
nally, with dried figs and nitre, for the purpose of soothing 
roughness of the fauces and catarrhs. Eor such cases, too, 
snails should be boiled unwashed, the earth only being re- 
moved, and then pounded and administered to the patient in 
raisin wine. Some persons ace of opinion that for these pur- 
59 See B. xxii. c. 36. Eelon takes it to be the Lixus paraplecticus. 
60 In B. xxix. c. 30. ei xxii. c. 21. ^2 u stigmata." 
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