We shall briefly notice in this place the singular disease of the face which prevailed in the Roman empire during the reign of Tiberius, called _mentagra_ by Pliny, in his curious description of it, but which he says was named _lichenes_ by some. He represents it as a contagious disease, which was readily propagated by kissing. It attacked principally the higher class, the lower and middle ranks and women having generally escaped it. The seat of it was commonly the chin, but it sometimes spread over the whole face, and affected even the neck, breast, and hands. The only means of cure was burning with caustics down to the bone. (H. N. xxxvii; see also Marcellus, 19.) We are inclined to think that it must have been some variety of elephantiasis. Modern authorities have ranked it under _sycosis_, but it would appear to have been a much more intractable disease. The sycosis is distinctly described by Celsus, among the diseases of the hairy parts. He recommends for it elaterium, linseed, or figs boiled in water, &c. (vi, 3.) SECT. IV.—ON PRURITUS, OR PRURIGO. The prurigo occurring in old age is not to be thoroughly cured, but may be alleviated by the remedies mentioned below: but that which arises from a cacochymy in other ages, is to be cured by evacuation, being formed by a bilious or pituitous humour that has become putrid, or by a saltish one. It is known by attending to the age, temperament, diet, season of the year, situation, and the like. If, therefore, it appear to prevail in the blood contained in the veins, we must begin with venesection; but if it offend rather by its quality, we must evacuate it by corresponding medicines, and turn our attention to external applications. Wherefore we must use the bath at all times before a meal; and sometimes, after eating a little, it may be used a second time, for the affection is of difficult humectation. They are to be rubbed with the decoction of fenugreek, or of beet, or of barley-meal, or of wild or of garden mallows, or of ptisan; and along with these may be joined the flour of beans, or of lupines, or of myrobalan (ben), or of the detergent ointment called _peponaton_. If it is protracted, we may use the bath in like manner, and foment with the decoction of sage, of tamarisk, of the herb mercury, of marjoram, of pennyroyal, of bay berries, of the root of the wild cucumber, of capers, of strained ley, of vinegar and brine; and then the parts are to be sprinkled with dried natron, or with the lees of vinegar, or with the composition containing of spuma nitri one sextarius, of rosemary, of sulphur vivum, of each, lb. j, of cimolian earth, lb. ss; or this: of aphronitrum, of sulphur vivum, of burnt alcyonium, equal parts; to be used dry, or with some of the decoctions already mentioned; and, if you please, sprinkle some dried hellebore, without grease. But rub in with vinegar and oil, stavesacre pulverized, or sulphur, or red arsenic,