When persons are bitten by the shrew-mouse, throbbing pains supervene, erythema of every part pierced by a tooth, blisters along the skin filled with an ichorous fluid, and all the surrounding parts are livid; and if the skin be stripped off from the blister, the ulcer appears white, owing to the skin being torn into nervous membranes. In addition to these symptoms, the mortified parts drop off, the disease extending like a spreading ulcer; and besides tormina supervene, with dysuria and the discharge of a cold fluid. They are relieved by the application of galbanum in the form of an oblong pledget, by itself, or triturated with vinegar, or of barley-flour mixed up with oxymel. And the shrew-mouse itself which inflicted the bite may be torn in pieces and applied, and pellitory may be applied, or the boiled rind of the sweet pomegranate, or wild mallows, or pounded garlic, or mustard triturated with vinegar; and the parts may be bathed with warm brine, and then a cataplasm of burnt barley with vinegar may be applied. They may take propomata of southernwood boiled in wine, or sisymbrium, or wild thyme, or rocket, or galbanum, or sage, or the tender balls of cypress with oxymel, or pellitory with wine, or the root of chameleon, or the rennet of a kid or of a lamb, or gentian root, or vervain. These things may also be administered in the form of a cataplasm. But some give in a potion the shrew-mouse itself that inflicted the bite, having triturated it with wine. This one also is effectual: Of myrrh, dr. vj; of the bark of birthwort, dr. iv. To the bites of the shrew-mouse and of the scolopendra apply salts with liquid pitch, or cedar-rosin with honey, or garlic with the leaves of the fig-tree and cumin, or the leaves of calamint, or barley with vinegar. * * * * * COMMENTARY. Nicander says that the bite of the blind Mus araneus is mortal. Our author’s plan of treatment is taken from Dioscorides. Oribasius recommends garlic and cumin, mixed with oil. (De Morb. Curat. iii, 70.) Aëtius says that the Mus araneus is an animal resembling the weasel. His plan of treatment is similar to our author’s. (xiii, 14.) Isodorus says of it: “Mus araneus, cujus morsu aranea moritur, est in Sardiniâ animal perexiguum, araneæ formâ, quæ solifuga dicitur, eo quod diem fugiat.” (Orig. xii, 3.) Vegetius, the veterinary surgeon, recommends garlic pounded with nitre, or with salt and cumin. (Mulom. iii, 82.) See also Columella (vi, 17); and Ælian (H. A. ii, 37.) Most of the Arabians treat of this case in the same terms as the Greeks. Without doubt it is the _sorix araneus, L._ The accounts which the ancients give of its venomous qualities are said by Buffon and Sprengel to be exaggerated. Probably Agricola states the matter correctly when he says, that the mus araneus is venomous in warm climates, but innocent in cold. In size, he says, it is nearly equal to a small weasel. (De Anim. Subter.) SECT. XII.—ON VIPERS AND ECHIDNÆ.