^"^ ■fcryt'"'"}     ^^^^^     ^^^^  Oriental  Plants,  etc,  499 
ing  effect  upon  the  mosquitoes,  sknipes-kenopes  (Culex  pipions),  as 
fumigations  of  Caucasian  insect  powder.  This  should  consist  of  the 
flowers  of  Pyrethrum  roseum  and  carneum,  but,  as  sold  in  Greece,  is 
very  frequently  sophisticated  with  Anthemis  cotula.  Chrysanthemum 
segetum,  Matricaria  parthenium,  and  other  plants,  and  it  may  be  re- 
marked that  many  medicinal  agents,  received  from  France  and  other 
parts  of  Western  Europe,  are  likewise  adulterated. 
E.  viscosum  is  also  used  for  the  preparation  of  aromatic  baths  in 
various  diseases  of  the  urinary  organs,  such  as  enuresis,  paralysis  of  the 
bladder,  &c. 
Sideritis  and  Salvia. — Among  the  plants  which  enjoy  a  great  reputa- 
tion are  Sideritis  theaezans,  hirsuta  and  several  other  species  which  are 
largely  collected  in  Macedonia,  Thessalia  and  near  the  Holy  Moun- 
tain Athos,  and  are  sent  to  Odessa.  Thousands  of  persons  drink  in 
the  coffee-shops,  instead  of  the  Russian  tea,  the  infusion  of  this  plant 
with  rum.  In  ancient  times  the  plant  was  known  as  Sideritis  achillea, 
and  Plinius  states  that  it  was  used  for  the  healing  of  wounds.  It  is 
very  aromatic,  and  deserves  to  be  introduced  into  medicine. 
Another  plant  frequently  used  is  Salvia  pomifera,  popularly  known 
by  the  name  of  Faskomylea.  The  name  salvia  (derived  from  salvo-ob 
sanitatem  salutem)  indicates  a  useful  plant,  and  the  species  in  question 
was  supposed  to  cure  gangraena,  and  is  now  largely  used  in  cases  of 
cold,  the  warm  solution  being  taken.  By  the  sting  of  an  insect  many- 
excrescences  are  formed,  having  the  appearance  of  little  apples,  whence 
the  specific  name  pomifera.  These  succulent  galls,  boiled  with  honey 
and  wine-must,  yield  a  confection  which  is  relished  by  the  poorer 
classes. 
On  the  Collection  of  Lahdanum. — Labdanum,  or  ladanum,  is  the  resin- 
ous exudation  of  several  species  of  Cistus,  like  C.  creticus,  labdanife- 
rous  and  villosus,  the  name  being  derived  from  the  Arabic  ladan,  which 
is  applied  to  the  resin  as  it  exudes  from  these  plants.  The  mode  of 
collection  in  Crete  is  the  same  now  as  it  was  carried  on  in  ancient 
times,  and  has  been  correctly  described  by  Tournefort.  A  curious  in- 
strument, called  lahdanisterion,  is  employed,  which  has  on  one  end  a 
number  of  narrow  leather  bands,  by  means  of  which  the  resin  is  scraped 
off.  An  inferior  kind  is  obtained  by  boiling  from  the  wool  and  hair  of 
the  sheep  and  goats  which  feed  on  the  plants,  this  kind  being  called 
lahdanum  e  barba ;  it  is  often  sophisticated  during  the  melting  process 
with  olibanum,  mastich  and  other  resins. 
