1 94  Medicinal  Plants  of  Greece.  {AmA?y, 
dies  in  chronic  bronchitis  and  pulmonary  consumption,  and  it  is  said 
that  by  the  use  of  these  remedies  Pythagoras  had  extended  his  life  to 
134  years.  From  Theognis  we  have  the  proverb  "  e  scilla  non  nascitur 
rosa."  The  name  scilla,  not  squilla,  is  derived  from  the  Greek  veib 
SuXkltv,  because  the  bulb  can  be  readily  divided  into  small  pieces  or 
scales. 
Lagoecia  cuminoides  is  commonly  called  lagokoimitia  or  hare's  bed 
(kayoq,  hare),  because  the  young  hares  are  said  to  be  always  found  hid- 
den under  this  plant,  which  is  esteemed  in  the  Orient  against  nephritic 
lithiasis. 
Ceterach  officinarum,  Willd. — Many  years  ago,  when  I  was  examined, 
the  question  was  asked,  whether  sterility  could  be  produced,  to  which 
I  answered,  u  No,  except  by  abortifacient  medicines,  such  as  savin, 
ergot,  powerful  drastics  and  emmenagogues."  Some  years  ago  a  mid- 
wife was  accused  of  Laving  given  to  a  rich  lady  some  medicine  to  pre- 
vent her  bearing  children.  Several  plants  having  been  sent  to  me  for 
examination,  I  found  among  them  the  one  mentioned  above,  which  is 
the  Asplenium  Ceterach,  Lin.,  and  which  appears  to  be  employed  for  the 
purpose  indicated  ;  its  effects,  however,  remain  to  be  examined. 
Dictamnus  creticus. — This  plant  is  indigenous  to  the  island  of  Crete, 
where  the  flowers  and  leaves  are  collected,  tied  up  in  small  bundles, 
and  sold  as  an  excellent  remedy  against  dysmenorrhoea  and  amcenor- 
rhoea  of  young  women.  In  ancient  times  it  enjoyed  a  very  great  rep- 
utation in  many  ailments  of  women,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  it, 
like  many  other  useful  plants,  has  been  neglected  in  modern  times  in 
favor  of  others  not  possessing  the  same  virtues  ;  but  it  is  still  employed 
to  some  extent  as  a  reliable  emmenagogue,  together  with  the  well- 
known  and  highly  esteemed  Ruta  graveolens. 
Sonckus  oleraceus. — The  ancient  name  (sonchos)  of  this  plant  is  derived 
from  ^(oyvxeeiv,  life-giving.  It  has  enjoyed  a  high  repute  for  its  medi- 
cinal properties  among  the  ancient  authors,  Theophrastus,  Pliny,  Dios- 
corides,  &c.  "  Sonchus  quod  succum  salubrem  fundit  qui  stomachi 
rosiones  lenit  et  nutricibus  lac  augit."  For  these  reasons,  the  plant  is 
boiled  and  eaten  with  oil,  and  nursing  women  apply  it  in  the  form  of 
cataplasms,  with  the  view  of  augmenting  the  secretion  of  milk.  The 
plant  is  greatly  esteemed  in  diseases  of  the  liver,  particularly  in  jaundice. 
Cuscuta  epilinum,  Toad  flax,  is  a  parasitic  plant  found  upon  Satureja 
