For the cure of dropsy, tithymalos characias[1398] is employed; panaces[1399] also; plantago,[1400] used as a diet, dry bread being eaten first, without any drink; betony, taken in doses of two drachmæ in two cyathi of ordinary wine or honied wine; agaric or seed of lonchitis,[1401] in doses of two spoonfuls, in water; psyllion,[1402] taken in wine; juice of either anagallis;[1403] root of cotyledon[1404] in honied wine; root of ebulum,[1405] fresh gathered, with the mould shaken off, but not washed in water, a pinch in two fingers being taken in one hemina of old wine mulled; root of trefoil, taken in doses of two drachmæ in wine; the tithymalos[1406] known as “platyphyllos;” seed of the hypericon,[1407] otherwise known as “caros;” the plant called “acte”—the same thing as ebulum[1408] according to some—the root of it being pounded in three cyathi of wine, if there are no symptoms of fever, or the seed of it being administered in red wine; a good handful of vervain also, boiled down in water to one half. But of all the remedies for this disease, juice of chamæacte[1409] is looked upon as by far the most efficacious. Morbid or pituitous eruptions are cured by the agency of plantago, or else root of cyclaminos[1410] with honey. Leaves of ebulum,[1411] bruised in old wine and applied topically, are curative of the disease called “boa,” which makes its appearance in the form of red pimples. Juice of strychnos,[1412] applied as a liniment, is curative of prurigo. CHAP. 74.—REMEDIES FOR ERYSIPELAS. For the cure of erysipelas, aizoüm[1413] is used, or else pounded leaves of hemlock, or root of mandragora;[1414] this last being cut into round slices like cucumber and suspended over must,[1415] after which it is hung up in the smoke, and then pounded in wine or vinegar. It is a good plan too to use fomentations with myrtle wine: two ounces of mint beaten up in vinegar with one ounce of live sulphur, form a mixture sometimes employed; as also soot mixed with vinegar. There are several kinds of erysipelas, one in particular which attacks the middle of the body, and is known as “zoster:”[1416] should it entirely surround the body, its effects are fatal. For this disease, plantago[1417] is remedial, mixed with Cimolian[1418] chalk; vervain, used by itself; or root of persolata.[1419] For other kinds of erysipelas of a spreading nature, root of cotyledon[1420] is used, mixed with honied wine; aizoüm also,[1421] or juice of linozostis,[1422] in combination with vinegar. CHAP. 75. (12.)—REMEDIES FOR SPRAINS. For the cure of sprains, root of polypodion[1423] is used, in the form, of a liniment: the pain and swelling are modified also by using seed of psyllion;[1424] leaves of plantago[1425] beaten up with a little salt; seed of verbascum,[1426] boiled in wine and pounded; or hemlock with axle-grease. Leaves of ephemeron[1427] are applied topically to tumours and tuberosities, so long as they are capable of being dispersed.