The root of this plant is dried and powdered, and taken in drink: the upper part of it, they say, carries off bile by acting as an emetic, the lower part, by promoting alvine evacuation.
CHAP. 47.—REMEDIES FOR GRIPING PAINS IN THE BOWELS.
Every kind of panaces[1214] is curative of gripings in the bowels; as also betony, except in those cases where they arise from indigestion. Juice of peucedanum[1215] is good for flatulency, acting powerfully as a carminative: the same is the case, also, with root of acoron[1216] and with daucus,[1217] eaten like lettuce as a salad. Ladanum[1218] of Cyprus, taken in drink, is curative of intestinal affections; and a similar effect is produced by powdered gentian, taken in warm water, in quantities about as large as a bean. For the same purpose, plantago[1219] is taken in the morning, in doses of two spoonfuls, with one spoonful of poppy in four cyathi of wine, due care being taken that it is not old wine. It is given, too, at the last moment before going to sleep, and with the addition of nitre or polenta,[1220] if a considerable time has elapsed since the last meal. For colic, an injection of the juice is used, one hemina at a time, even in cases where fever has supervened.
CHAP. 48.—REMEDIES FOR DISEASES OF THE SPLEEN.
Agaric, taken in doses of three oboli in one cyathus of old wine, is curative of diseases of the spleen. The same, too, with the root of every kind of panaces,[1221] taken in honied wine: teucria,[1222] also, is particularly useful for the same purpose, taken in a dry state, or boiled down in the proportion of one handful to three heminæ of vinegar. Teucria, too, is applied with vinegar to wounds of the spleen, or, if the patient cannot bear the application of vinegar, with figs or water. Polemonia[1223] is taken in wine, and betony, in doses of one drachma, in three cyathi of oxymel: aristolochia, too, is used in the same manner as for injuries inflicted by serpents.[1224] Argemonia,[1225] it is said, taken with the food for seven consecutive days, diminishes the volume of the spleen; and a similar effect is attributed to agaric, taken in doses of two oboli, in oxymel. Root, too, of nymphæa heraclia,[1226] taken in wine, or by itself, diminishes the spleen.
Cissanthemos,[1227] taken twice a day, in doses of one drachma in two cyathi of white wine, for forty consecutive days, gradually carries off the spleen, it is said, by urine. Hyssop, boiled with figs, is very useful for the same purpose: root of lonchitis,[1228] also, boiled before it has shed its seed. A decoction of root of peucedanum[1229] is good for the spleen and kidneys. Acoron,[1230] taken in drink, diminishes the spleen; and the roots of it are very beneficial for the viscera and iliac regions. For similar purposes, seed of clymenus[1231] is taken, for thirty consecutive days, in doses of one denarius, in white wine. Powdered betony is also used, taken in a potion with honey and squill vinegar; root too of lonchitis is taken in water. Teucrium[1232] is used externally for diseases of the spleen; scordium,[1233] also, in combination with wax; and agaric, mixed with powdered, fenugreek.
CHAP. 49.—REMEDIES FOR CALCULI AND DISEASES OF THE BLADDER.
For diseases of the bladder and calculi (affections which, as already observed,[1234] produce the most excruciating torments), polemonia[1235] is highly efficacious, taken in wine; agaric also, and leaves or root of plantago, taken in raisin wine. Betony, too, is very good, as already observed, when speaking[1236] of diseases of the liver. This last plant is used also for hernia, applied topically or taken in drink: it is remarkably efficacious too for strangury. For calculi some persons recommend betony, vervain, and milfoil, in equal proportions in water, as a sovereign remedy. It is universally agreed that dittany is curative of strangury, and that the same is the case with cinquefoil, boiled down to one third in wine: this last plant is very useful, too, taken internally and applied topically, for rupture of the groin.
The upper part of the root of xiphion[1237] has a diuretic effect upon infants; it is administered also in water for rupture of the groin, and is applied topically for diseases of the bladder. Juice of peucedanum[1238] is employed for hernia in infants, and psyllion[1239] is used as an application in cases of umbilical hernia. The two kinds of anagallis[1240] are diuretic, and a similar effect is produced by a decoction of root of acoron,[1241] or the plant itself bruised and taken in drink; this last is good too for all affections of the bladder. Both the stem and root of cotyledon[1242] are used for the cure of calculi; and for all inflammations of the genitals, myrrh is mixed in equal proportions with the stem and seed. The more tender leaves of ebulum,[1243] beaten up and taken with wine, expel calculi of the bladder, and an application of them is curative of diseases of the testes. Erigeron,[1244] with powdered frankincense and sweet wine, is curative of inflammation of the testes; and root of symphytum,[1245] applied topically, reduces rupture of the groin. The white hypocisthis[1246] is curative of corroding ulcers of the genitals. Artemisia[1247] is prescribed also in sweet wine for the cure of calculi and of strangury; and root of nymphæa heraclia,[1248] taken in wine, allays pains in the bladder.