CHAP. 18. (7.)—AFFECTIONS OF THE SIDE, CHEST, AND STOMACH.
For the cure of pains in the side and chest, verbascum[1088] is used in water, with rue; powdered betony is also taken in warm water. Juice of scordotis[1089] is used as a stomachic, centaury also, gentian taken in water, and plantago, either eaten with the food, or mixed with lentils or a pottage of alica.[1090] Betony, which is in general prejudicial to the stomach, is remedial for some stomachic affections, taken in drink or chewed, the leaves being used for the purpose. In a similar manner too, aristolochia[1091] is taken in drink, or dried agaric is chewed, a draught of undiluted wine being taken every now and then. Nymphæa heraclia[1092] is also applied topically in these cases, and juice of peucedanum.[1093] For burning pains in the stomach psyllion[1094] is applied, or else cotyledon[1095] beaten up with polenta, or aizoüm.[1096]
CHAP. 19.—MOLON OR SYRON. AMOMUM.
Molon[1097] is a plant with a striated stem, a soft diminutive leaf, and a root four fingers in length, at the extremity of which there is a head like that of garlic; by some persons it is known as “syron.” Taken in wine, it is curative of affections of the stomach, and of hardness of breathing. For similar purposes the greater centaury is used, in an electuary; juice also of plantago, or else the plant itself, eaten with the food; pounded betony, in the proportion of one pound to half an ounce of Attic honey, taken daily in warm water; and aristolochia[1098] or agaric, taken in doses of three oboli, in warm water or asses’ milk.
For hardness of breathing an infusion of cissanthemos[1099] is taken in drink, and for the same complaint, as also for asthma, hyssop. For pains in the liver, chest, and side, if unattended with fever, juice of peucedanum is used. For spitting of blood agaric is employed, in doses of one victoriatus,[1100] bruised and administered in five cyathi of honied wine: amomum,[1101] too, is equally useful for that purpose. For liver diseases in particular, teucria[1102] is taken fresh, in doses of four drachmæ to one hemina of oxycrate; or else betony, in the proportion of one drachma to three cyathi of warm water. For diseases of the heart, betony is recommended, in doses of one drachma to two cyathi of cold water. Juice of cinquefoil is remedial for diseases of the liver and lungs, and for spitting of blood as well as all internal affections of the blood. The two varieties of anagallis[1103] are wonderfully efficacious for liver complaints. Patients who eat the plant called “capnos”[1104] discharge the bile by urine. Acoron[1105] is also remedial for diseases of the liver, and daucus[1106] is useful for the thorax and the pectoral organs.
CHAP. 20.—THE EPHEDRA OR ANABASIS: THREE REMEDIES.
The ephedra,[1107] by some persons called “anabasis,” mostly grows in localities exposed to the wind. It climbs the trunks of trees, and hangs down from the branches, is destitute of leaves, but has numerous suckers, jointed like a bulrush; the root is of a pale colour. This plant is given, pounded, in astringent red wine, for cough, asthma, and gripings in the bowels. It is administered also in the form of a pottage, to which some wine should be added. For these complaints, gentian is also used, being steeped in water the day before, and then pounded and given in doses of one denarius, in three cyathi of wine.
CHAP. 21.—GEUM: THREE REMEDIES.
Geum[1108] is a plant with thin, diminutive roots, black, and aromatic.[1109] It is curative not only of pains in the chest and sides, but is useful also for dispelling crudities, owing to its agreeable flavour. Vervain, too, is good for all affections of the viscera, and for diseases of the sides, lungs, liver, and thorax. But one invaluable remedy for diseases of the lungs, and for cases of incipient phthisis, is the root of consiligo, a plant only very recently discovered, as already[1110] mentioned. It is a most efficient remedy also for pulmonary diseases in swine and cattle, even though only passed through the ear of the animal. When used, it should be taken in water, and kept for a considerable time in the mouth, beneath the tongue. Whether the part of this plant which grows above ground is useful or not for any purpose, is at present unknown. Plantago, eaten with the food, betony taken in drink, and agaric taken in the way prescribed for cough, are useful, all of them, for diseases of the kidneys.