TORPEDO. 
123 
them on grounds which ignorant men of power and wealth 
could understand, to have omitted the mention of such matters 
in a work intended to represent the full extent of knowledge 
then existing in the world, would have heen to render himself 
exposed to a reproach not less severe than, though the reverse 
of, that so often in modern times brought against him. 
But as regards many of the instances of a strange and now 
incredible kind to which Pliny has given a place in his work, 
and especially those concerning the Torpedo, he is careful to 
express or imply his doubts, although as a faithful copyist he 
feels himself bound to transcribe them. In addition then, to 
the information, that the local aj)plication of this fish was a 
remedy for some obscure disease of the spleen, we will only 
adduce one instance of the accepted practice of the magical 
physicians of that age, reported to us by this writer. It was 
important that this fish should be caught when the moon was 
in the celestial sign Libra, and that it should be kept in the 
open air for three days. If after this it were simply brought 
into the room where a woman was in a state of parturition, 
it would secure her speedy safety; and it would appear that it 
might thus be carried from one patient to another with equs 
success. 
The first physician of real abilities who directed his attention 
to the study of the medical properties of this fish was Galen; 
who prescribed the application of the living fish to cases of 
periodical headache with much success; and we learn also from 
Scribonius Largus, quoted by Matthiolus in his Commentary on 
Dioscorides, that a freedman of Augustus Csesar was relieved 
or cured of a fit of the gout by the same means. But it is 
not a little remarkable, and suggests some doubt of this sup- 
posed instance, that this case, which from the eminent station 
of the patient, must have been widely talked of, was not knovm 
to Pliny or Celsus; careful as the former has shewn himself to 
have been to collect all the information on every subject then 
attainable, and well acquainted, as he may be supposed also 
to have been, with all that was of interest connected with the 
court of Augustus. And how little the true nature of this 
remedial influence continued to be understood, appears from 
the writings of Paulus Aigineta, himself a physician of emi- 
nence; but who knew so little of the source of this powerful 
