i76 
Various  Notes. 
(  Am  Jour.  Pharnu 
\      April,  1878. 
tion  of  mastic  as  an  infallible  remedy  in  cholera  infantum.  Externally 
is  applied  a  poultice  of  bread,  boiled  in  strong  red  wine,  and  mixed  with 
powdered  aromatic  herbs.  These  poultices  are  called  Krasospomay 
from  krasi,  wine,  and  psoma,  bread. 
Ink  (melani)  is  generally  used  by  the  Orientals  for  burns  and  scalds. 
It  is  applied  in  a  thick  layer,  and  often  leaves  a  permanent  mark. 
Enchantment.- — To  guard  valuable  horses  against  the  "  evil  eye,'* 
a  large  crystal  of  sulphate  of  copper,  enclosed  in  a  silver  box,  is  sus- 
pended from  the  neck  of  the  animal.  This  is  called  filakta.  Against 
bewitchings  and  enchantments,  the  stables  are  very  generally  fumigated 
with  asafoetida,  galbanum  and  other  ill-smelling  substances. 
Veterinary  Surgery. — Although  there  exist  in  Greece  about  one 
million  horses,  twelve  to  fifteen  million  sheep  and  goats,  two  million 
asses  and  mules,  and  so  on,  there  is  as  yet  no  veterinary  school  in  the 
country  ;  only  five  or  six  regularly  educated  veterinary  surgeons  are  to 
be  found.  Besides  these  there  are  many  self-taught  farriers,  called 
albanides,  whose  cures  very  often  are  successful. 
Falling  out  of  hair  is  prevented  in  the  Oriental  countries  by  using 
an  ointment  consisting  of  the  bruised  fresh  bulbs  of  Asphodelus  bulbosus 
or  of  garlic,  onions  mixed  with  gunpowder.  An  infusion  of  small 
leaves  of  the  lemon  or  orange  tree  in  red  wine  has  likewise  proved 
serviceable,  about  twenty  grains  of  tannin  having  been  added  to  the 
liter  of  this  aromatic  wine. 
Jaundice  is  cured  by  drinking  freely  of  a  strong  decoction  of  the 
flowers  of  Tamarix  africana  (myriki).  Some  native  empirics  use  gold 
(chryson),  the  Greek  name  for  jaundice  being  chrysi  (golden  disease). 
They  get  a  few  gold  pieces  from  the  patients,  put  them  in  a  yellow 
liquid,  when,  by  some  hocus-pocus,  the  gold  pieces  disappear,  and  are 
to  be  found  in  the  pockets  of  these  charlatans  (keki?n). 
Spartium  junceum  (hinosparton,  sparton  of  Dioscorides  and  Theo- 
phrastus)  in  a  strong  decoction,  is  considered  a  sovereign  remedy  for 
diseases  of  the  urinary  organs,  particularly  stone  in  the  bladder. 
Elcktron,  the  Greek  name  for  amber,  is  probably  derived  from  the 
Phenician  elek,  which  signifies  a  resinous  exudation.  The  Arabs  of 
the  present  day  call  amber  elek. 
