The carus seems indisputably to have been the carum carui L. Dioscorides says that its boiled root may be eaten like the carrot. Seth praises it as being carminative, diuretic, and astringent. Apicius mentions it frequently along with spices and other aromatics.
The characters of the onion, garlic, and leek are taken from Galen. Celsus calls them calefacient, and ranks them with things having unwholesome juices. Actuarius prefers the leek to the onion and garlic. The latter is warmly eulogised by Galen, as being the rustic’s theriac. Horace had not so much favour for it. (Epod. iii.) Galen calls the ampeloprason the same as the wild leek. (De Fac. Simp. vi.) Dioscorides describes two species of the porrum, namely, the capitatum and sectivum.
The asphodel (asphodelus ramosus) is mentioned as an article of food by the poet Hesiod. Galen, however, speaks of its being eaten only in times of scarcity.
Galen directs radishes to be eaten before dinner, as a laxative. He justly expresses his surprise at the practice of certain physicians, and other persons of his time, who ate radish after dinner to promote digestion. The wild radish was called armoracia by the Romans, as we are informed by Dioscorides.
SECT. LXXVII.—ON TRUFFLES AND MUSHROOMS.
The truffle (tuber) forms chyme devoid of qualities, but cold and thick. The mushrooms called mycetæ, being of a cold nature, form phlegm and bad chyme. Of these, the boleti are devoid of qualities, and are safer than the others when boiled properly. The amanitæ are of the second order. The other mushrooms ought not to be tasted, for many of them are mortal poisons; and even the boleti, when eaten without being properly boiled, have often proved dangerous.
Commentary. Diphilus says “Fungi are grateful to the stomach, laxative, and nutritious, but of difficult digestion, and flatulent.” (Athen. Deipnos. ii, 19.) He adds, “the nature of truffles is, that they are difficult to digest, supply good juices, and are laxative; but some of them, like the fungi, occasion suffocation.” (Ibid. 51.) Galen says that they contain cold, viscid, and thick juices. Serapion says that they engender gross humours. According to Avicenna they are apt to super-induce apoplexy and paralysis. Simeon Seth says that truffles occasion crude and depraved humours. He directs them to be steeped in water for some hours before boiling them; and prepared with pepper, marjoram, salt, and rue, to correct their bad properties. Rhases, in like manner, recommends us to eat truffle boiled in water, with salt, marjoram, oil, and assafœtida. He also recommends wine, honied water, or the theriac after mushrooms. Apicius directs fungi to be eaten with pepper, oil, salt, &c. Horace points out the best kind of fungi.
“Pratensibus optima fungis
Natura est: aliis male creditur.”