The second, of similar construction and appearance, was brought by Friedlander from Naples and presented by him to the museum.
A third, in the museum at Mainz, was found in the Rhine while dredging near the town. It is of bronze, 10 cm. long, 8 wide, 2 in height. It weighs 123 grammes. The sliding lid is decorated with the snake of Aesculapius, twisted round the stem of a laurel tree. The tree and the body of the snake are formed by inlaying copper in the bronze. The outline of the head of the snake and the scales of the body are of silver. On withdrawing the lid the interior is seen to be divided into four compartments each shut by a little hinged lid, which may be lifted by means of a little ring. Two of these compartments are 6 cm. by 3, the two others are 4 cm. by 3.
In the Naples Museum there are three of these boxes. They are all of bronze and divided into compartments. One is divided into five compartments. It is 18 cm. long by 8 wide and 2 deep. Of the compartments three are 8 cm. by 2 and two are 5 cm. by 3. There is at the upper end of the box a small handle by which to carry it. Another box is 13 cm. by 7·5. On removing the lid it is seen to be divided into six compartments, two of which have hinged lids of their own, like the Mainz box. These compartments still contain medicaments ([Pl. LIV]).
The third of the Naples boxes is of an unusual type. It is 12·5 cm. by 7·5, but it is 3 cm. high and is divided into an upper and a lower division each 1·5 cm. deep. Each division has a sliding lid of its own. The upper division is separated into four compartments, two of which are 7 cm. by 2 and two are 4 cm. by 2. The lower stage occupies the whole area of the box.
A medicament box of a unique character was in use in a chapel as a reliquary till its original use was pointed out. It is of ivory, and carved on its sliding lid is a representation of Aesculapius and his daughter Hygeia. Aesculapius carries in his left hand a staff, round which is coiled a snake, and in his right a pine cone. Hygeia carries a snake in her right hand, and in her left a bowl from which she feeds the snake. The execution of the design shows the box to belong to the third century. The box is divided into eleven compartments. It is now in the Castle Valeria at Sitten.
[APPENDIX]
I. INVENTORY OF CHIEF INSTRUMENTS IN VARIOUS MUSEUMS
English Museums.