The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6) — John Shaqi
The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6)Pliny, the Elder
History
The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6)
Pliny, the Elder
Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works
The flesh of the sea-tortoise,[102] mixed with that of frogs, is an
excellent remedy for injuries caused by the salamander;[103] indeed
there is nothing that is a better neutralizer of the secretions of the
salamander than the sea-tortoise. The blood of this animal reproduces
the hair when lost through alopecy, and is curative of porrigo and all
kinds of ulcerations of the head; the proper method of using it being
to let it dry, and then gently wash it off. For the cure of ear-ache,
this blood is injected with woman’s milk, and for epilepsy it is eaten
with fine wheaten flour, three heminæ of the blood being mixed with one
hemina of vinegar. It is prescribed also for the cure of asthma; but
in this case in combination with one hemina of wine. Sometimes, too,
it is taken by asthmatic patients, with barley-meal and vinegar, in
pieces about the size of a bean; one of these pieces being taken each
morning and evening at first, but after some days, two in the evening.
In cases of epilepsy, the mouth of the patient is opened and this blood
introduced. For spasmodic affections, when not of a violent nature, it
is injected, in combination with castoreum, as a clyster. If a person
rinses his teeth three times a year with blood of tortoises, he will be
always exempt from tooth-ache. This blood is also a cure for asthmatic
affections, and for the malady called “orthopnœa,” being administered
for these purposes in polenta.
The gall of the tortoise improves the eye-sight, effaces scars, and
cures affections of the tonsillary glands, quinsy, and all kinds of
diseases of the mouth, cancers of that part more particularly, as well
as cancer of the testes. Applied to the nostrils it dispels epilepsy,
and sets the patient on his feet: incorporated in vinegar with the
slough of a snake, it is a sovereign remedy for purulent discharges
from the ears. Some persons add ox-gall and the broth of boiled
tortoise-flesh, with an equal proportion of snake’s slough; but in
such case, care must be taken to boil the tortoise in wine. Applied
with honey, this gall is curative of all diseases of the eyes; and for
the cure of cataract, gall of the sea-tortoise is used, in combination
with blood of the river-tortoise and milk. The hair, too, of females,
is dyed[104] with this gall. For the cure of injuries inflicted by the
salamander, it will be quite sufficient to drink the broth of boiled
tortoise-flesh.
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