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.