Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, BOOK XXVI. A CONTINUATION OF THE REMEDIES DERIVED FROM PLANTS, CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO PARTICULAR DISEASES., CHAP. 25.—CHALCETUM; TWO REMEDIES. MOLEMONIUM; ONE REMEDY.

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CHAP. 25.—CHALCETUM; TWO REMEDIES. MOLEMONIUM; ONE REMEDY.

Chalcetum¹ also is the name of a plant, which is pounded with grape husks and applied topically, for the cure of liver complaints. Root of betony acts as a gentle emetic, taken in the same way as hellebore, in doses of four drachmæ in raisin wine or honied wine. Hyssop, too, is beaten up with honey for similar purposes; but it is more efficacious if nasturtium or irio² is taken first.

Molemonium³ is used as an emetic, being taken in doses of one denarius; the same, too, with sillybum.⁴ Both of these plants have a milky juice, which thickens like gum, and is taken with honey in the proportions above-mentioned, being particularly good for carrying off bile. On the other hand, vomiting is arrested by the use of wild cummin or powdered betony, taken in water. Crudities and distaste for food are dispelled, and the digestion promoted by employing daucus,⁵ powdered betony⁶ taken in hydromel, or else plantago boiled like greens. Hiccup is arrested by taking hemionium⁷ or aristolochia,⁸ and asthma by the use of clymenus.⁹ For pleurisy and peripneumony, the greater centaury is used, or else hyssop, taken in drink. Juice of peucedanum¹⁰ is also good for pleurisy.

1 C. Bauhin identifies it with the Valeriana locusta of Linnæus, Corn valerian, Corn-salad, or Lamb's lettuce. Fée considers its identity as still unknown.

2 See B. xviii. c. 10.

3 Perhaps the same as the Limonium of B. xxv. c. 61.

4 See B. xxii. c. 42; one of the Sonchi, probably, which contain a milky juice. Littré gives the Sonchus palustris of Linnæus.

5 See B. xxv. c. 64.

6 The Betonica officinalis of Linnæus.

7 Either the Asplenium ceterach of Linnæus, Spleenwort, Ceterach, or Miltwaste, or the A. hemionitis of Linnæus, Mule's fern. See B. xxvii. c. 17.

8 See B. xxv. c. 54.

9 See B. xxv. c. 33.

10 See B. xxv. c. 70.

The Natural History. Pliny the Elder. John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855.

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Pliny the Elder, The Natural History
John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed.

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CHAP. 25.—CHALCETUM; TWO REMEDIES. MOLEMONIUM; ONE REMEDY.

Pliny the Elder, The Natural History John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed.

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CHAP. 25.—CHALCETUM; TWO REMEDIES. MOLEMONIUM; ONE REMEDY.

Pliny the Elder, The Natural History
John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S., H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A., Ed.