wool.” Celsus then speaks of a revulsive adopted, in his times, against odontalgia. It was composed of myrrh and cardamom, _ana_ one part; saffron, pyrethrum, figs, pepper, _ana_ four parts; mustard seed, eight parts. The plaster, spread on linen, was to be applied on the shoulder corresponding to the side of the pain, and, according as this was situated in a tooth of the upper or lower jaw, the revulsive was applied on the back of the shoulder, or in front. When a tooth is decayed, Celsus advises that there should be no haste in drawing it; but that the pain be combated, if the above medicines are not sufficient, with others more energetic. A mixture may, for example be applied to the tooth, composed of one part of poppy, two of pepper, and ten of sory,[120] pounded and mixed to a paste with galbanum; or else, especially in the case of a molar tooth, the remedy of Menemacus, resulting from saffron, one part; cardamom, soot from incense, figs, pepper, pyrethrum, _ana_ four parts; mustard seed, eight parts; or even a more complicated remedy made with pyrethrum, pepper, and elaterium,[121] _ana_ one part; scissile alum,[122] poppy, taminia grape, crude sulphur, bitumen, laurel berries, mustard seed, _ana_ two parts. “If, says Celsus, the pain renders necessary the removal of the tooth, this may be made to fall to pieces, by introducing into the cavity a pepper berry without its skin, or a berry of ivy, pared in the same way. The same result may be obtained in the following manner: The sharp bone (aculeus) of that flat fish called by the Greeks trygon and by us pastinaca, must first be roasted and then reduced to powder and mixed with resin, so as to form a paste; which applied around the tooth will make it fall out. Likewise, scissile alum induces the fall of the tooth, when introduced into its hollow. This substance, however, is best introduced into the small cavity, after being wrapped around with a tuft of wool, for thus the pain is soothed and the tooth preserved.” Somewhat curious is the following passage, in which Celsus speaks of the superiority of a method of cure used by peasants, compared to the remedies advised by the doctors. From his words we clearly see that he, as we have already remarked, did not belong to the class of doctors properly so called.