Scammony, taken in drink or used as a pessary, is an expellent of the dead fœtus. Either kind of hypericon,[1603] used as a pessary, promotes menstruation: but for this purpose it is crethmos,[1604] according to Hippocrates, that is the most efficacious, the seed or root of it being taken in wine.[1605] * * * of the outer coat brings away the after-birth. This plant, taken in water, is good for hysterical suffocations; root of geranion[1606] also, which is peculiarly useful for the after-birth, and for inflation of the uterus. Hippuris,[1607] taken in drink or applied as a pessary, acts as a detergent upon the uterus: polygonos,[1608] taken in drink, promotes menstruation; and the same with root of alcima.[1609] Leaves of plantago,[1610] and agaric in hydromel, have a similar effect. Artemisia,[1611] bruised and applied as a pessary, with oil of iris,[1612] figs, or myrrh, is curative of diseases of the uterus; the root, too, of this plant, taken in drink, is so strongly purgative as to expel the dead fœtus even. A decoction of the branches, used as a sitting-bath, promotes menstruation and brings away the after-birth; the same too, with the leaves, taken in doses of one drachma in drink. The leaves, if applied to the lower regions of the abdomen with barley-meal, will prove equally efficacious. Acoron[1613] is very useful for internal complaints of females; as also the two varieties of conyza,[1614] and crethmos.[1615] Either kind of anthyllis,[1616] taken in wine, is remarkably good for uterine affections, griping pains in that organ, and retardations of the after-birth. Callithrix,[1617] applied as a fomentation, is curative of affections of the vagina: it removes scaly eruptions[1618] also of the head, and, beaten up in oil, it stains the hair. Geranion,[1619] taken in white wine, or hypocisthis[1620] in red, arrests all uterine discharges. Hyssop modifies hysterical suffocations. Root of vervain, taken in water, is a most excellent remedy for all accidents incident to, or consequent upon, delivery. Some persons mix bruised cypress seed with peucedanum[1621] in red wine. Seed, too, of psyllion,[1622] boiled in water and taken warm, has a soothing effect upon all defluxions of the uterus. Symphyton,[1623] bruised in wine, promotes menstruation. Juice of scordotis,[1624] in the proportion of one drachma to four cyathi of hydromel, accelerates delivery. Leaves of dittany are given for the same purpose, in water, with remarkable success. It is a well-known fact, too, that these leaves, to the extent of a single obolus even, will bring away the fœtus instantaneously, even when dead, without the slightest inconvenience to the patient. Pseudodictamnum[1625] is productive of a somewhat similar effect, but not in so marked a degree: cyclaminos,[1626] too, attached as an amulet; cissanthemos,[1627] taken in drink; and powdered betony, in hydromel. CHAP. 91.—ARSENOGONON: ONE MEDICINAL PROPERTY. THELYGONON: ONE MEDICINAL PROPERTY.