The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. VII.

¶ Medicines against the shedding of haire. For to colour the haire of the head. Also against the accidents of the eares, teeth, and vis age.

IF by occasion of some infirmity the haire be fallen off or grow very thin, the ashes of the fish [unspec F] called the Sea-hors, mingled with sal-nitre and swines grease, or applied simply with vineger, replenish the bare places with new haire, and cause it to come vp thick again: and for to apply such medicines for this purpose, the pouder of a cuttle bone prepareth the skinne well before∣hand.

Also the ashes of the sea-Tortoise incorporat with oile: of a sea-vrchin likewise burnt and [unspec G] * 1.1 calcined flesh and all together: as also the gall of a scorpion, be appropriat medicines to reco∣uer haire that was lost. In like maner take the ashes of 3 frogs burnt together aliue in an earthen pot, meddle them with hony, it is a good medicine to cause haire to grow: but the operation will be the better, in case the same be tempered with liquid pitch or tar. If one bee disposed to colour the haire of the head black, let him take horse-leeches which haue putrified and been re∣solued together in some grosse red wine for the space of 60 daies, he shall find this to be an ex∣cellent medicine. Others there be who giue order, to put as many horse-leeches as a sextar will hold, in two sextars of vineger, and let them putrifie within a vessell of lead as many daies toge∣ther; and when they be reduced into the form of a liniment, to annoint the haire in the sunshine for the same purpose. And Sornatius attributeth so much power vnto this composition, that vn∣lesse [unspec H] they that haue the annointing of the haire with it hold oile in their mouths all the while, their teeth also (by his saying) who haue the doing of it, wil turn black. The ashes of Burrets or Purples shels incorporat in hony, serue passing well in a liniment to heale scald heads: and the pouder of the foresaid fish shels (although they be not burnt and calcined) tempered with wa∣ter, is as good for the head-ach. Of the same operation is Castoreum, incorporat with Harstrang in oile rosat. The fat or grease of all fishes whatsoeuer, as well those of the sea as riuers, beeing dissolued in oile and tempered in honey, is soueraigne for to cleare the eyes: and of the like effect is Castoreum applied with hony. The gal of the fish Callionymus, healeth the cicatrices or scars that ouergrow the skin about them: and the same eateth & consumeth the excrescence of superfluous flesh in the corners of the eies. And verily there is not a fish that hath more gall [unspec I] than it, as testifieth Menander the Poet in his comedies: the same fish is otherwise called * 1.2 V∣ranoscopus, by reason of the eies which he hath in the vppermost part of his head. Semblably the gall of the black fish Coracinus quickneth the eie-sight. Also the gall of the reddish sea∣scorpions, mixt with old wine or the best hony of Athens, serueth to discusse the filmes of the eies like to breed a cataract: and thrice must the eies be annointed therewith, letting a day goe euer betweene. The same cure serueth likewise to take away the pearle in the eie. As for Bar∣bels, it is commonly said, that if one do feed ordinarily vpon them, hee shall sensibly feele his eies to decay and wax dim thereby. The sea-hare it selfe verily is venomous; but the ashes keep the disorderly and hurtfull haires of the eie-lids from growing any more, if they be once pluckt vp by the roots: and for this purpose, the least of this kind are the best. In like manner, the little [unspec K] Scallops kept in salt, and stampt together with the rosine or oile of cedar: the small frogs like∣wise which vsually they call Diopetes and Calamitae, haue the like effect to hinder the com∣ming vp of hairs in the eielids, after they be once pulled vp; in case their bloud be tempered with the gum of the vine-tree, and therewith the edges of the said eie-lids be annointed. The swelling and rednesse of the eies is by nothing better delaied and discussed, than by a liniment made of a cuttle bone puluerized and mixt with womans milk. And in very truth, the said cuttle bone sim∣ply by it selfe, cureth the asperity and roughnesse of the said eie-lids. But to worke this cure, the chirurgion vseth to turne vp the said eie-lids, and to apply therto the medicine, which he suf∣fereth not to stay there long, but taketh it away within a while: he annointeth the place also with oile rosat, and ouer night laieth thereto white-bread crums [with brest milke] for to assuage the [unspec L] paine. The self-same shell or couer of the cuttle-fish beaten to pouder and brought into a lini∣ment with vineger, cureth those who can see neuer a whit towards night. The ashes of the sayd cuttle-bone draw forth the scales or films which grow in the eies: the same incorporat with ho∣ny, heale the skars of the eies; but tempered with salt or brasse-ore, of each one dram, they rid away the pin and web growing in the eie: the same help horses of the haw that offendeth their eies. Some say moreouer, that the little bones within the cuttle, if they bee stamped to powder heale the eie-lids of any sore or accident befalling vnto them. The sea-vrchins flesh applied with vineger, taketh away the accidents of the eies called Epinyctides. The Magitians giue di∣rection to burne the same with vipers skins and frogs, and to spice the drink with the ashes that come thereof, assuring those who vse to drink the same, that they shall haue a very cleare sight. [unspec M] •…•…A fish there is named Ichthyocolla, which hath a glewish skin, and the very glue that is made thereof, is likewise called Ichthyocolla. The same glue taketh away the night-foes, commonly named in Greek Epinyctides. Some affirm, That the said glue Ichthyocolla is made of the bel∣ly and not of the skin of the said fish, like as Buls glue. This fish glue is thought to be best that

is brought out of Pontus: the same also is white without any veines, strings, or scales, and verie [unspec A] quickly melteth and resolueth. Now the same ought first to be cut or shred small, and then to lie infused or in steep a whole day and a night in water or vineger, which done, to be punned and beaten with the pebbles found about the sea-shore, that the same may the sooner melt and dis∣solue. This glue thus ordered, is held to be soueraigne for the head ach: and a good thing to en∣ter into those medicines or compositions which are deuised to smooth the skin & rid away the wrinkles. Take the right eie of a frog, lap it within a piece of selfe russet cloth (such as is made of black wooll as it came in the fleece from the sheep) and hang it about the neck, it cureth the right eie, if it be inflamed or bleared. And if the left eie be so affected, do the like by the contra∣ry eie of the said frog, &c. Now, if it were possible to pluck out these eies as the frog is ingende∣ring, it would heale also the white cicatrices or scars in the eie, if it were hung about the necke [unspec B] of the patient in like sort within an egge-shel. The rest of the frogs flesh applied to the eie, suc∣keth out and consumeth the bloud that is congealed vnder the tunicles of the eie, and lies there black and blew. They affirme moreouer, That the eies of a crab or craifish being hanged about the neck, are a soueraigne remedy for bleared eies.

A little frog there is, delighting to liue most among grasse & in * 1.3 reed plots: mute the same is and neuer croaketh, green also of colour: if kine or oxen chance to swallow one of them down with their grasse, it causeth them to swell in the belly, as if they were dew blown. And yet (they say) that if the slime or moisture wherewith their bodies be charged outwardly, be scraped off with the edge of some penknife, it cleareth the sight, if the eies be annointed therewith. As for the flesh it selfe, they lay it vpon the eies for to mitigat their pain. Furthermore, some there are who take 15 frogs, pricke them with a rish, & draw the same through them, that they may hang [unspec C] thereto; which done, they put them in a new earthen pot: and the humour or moisture that pas∣seth from them in this manner, they temper with the juice or liquor which in manner of a gum issueth out of the white wine Brionie, wherewith they keep the eielids from hauing any haires growing vpon them. But first they pluck vp those disorderly haires which grew there to offend and hurt the eies: & with a fine needle point drop the foresaid liquor into the very places where the haires were fetched out by the roots. Meges the Chyrurgian deuised another depilatory for to hinder the growing of hairs, made of frogs which he killed in vineger, and permitted them therin to putrfiie and resolue into moisture: and for this purpose his manner was to take many fresh frogs, euen as they were ingendred in any rain that fel during the Autumne. The same de∣pilatory [unspec D] effect, the ashes of Horse-leeches are supposed to haue, if they bee reduced into a lini∣ment with vineger, and vsed accordingly: now must they be burnt and calcined in a new earthen vessel that neuer before was occupied. And of the like operation is the liuer of the sea-fish Tae∣nia, if the same be dried, and thereof the weight of foure deniers Romane incorporate in oile of Cedar to the forme of a liniment, for to annoint the haires of the eie-lids by the space of nine moneths together.

The fresh gall of a Ray or Skeat, yea, and the same preserued and kept long in old wine, is an excellent medicine for the eares: so is the gal likewise of the fish * 1.4 Bancus, which some cal My∣xon: also of Callionymus the fish aforesaid, if it be dropt into the ears with oile rosat: semblably Castoreum with the juice of Poppie. There be also in the sea certaine creepers ingendred, cal∣led Pedunculi, i. sea-lice, which being stamped and tempered with vineger, they giue counsell to [unspec E] drop into the eares. Also a lock of wooll died in the bloud of the purple shell-fish Conchyli∣um, of it selfe alone is a very good thing to be applied to the eares: howbeit, some doe wet the same in vineger and salniter mixed together. But the soueraigne remedy in the opinion of most Physitians for any grieuance and infirmity of the ears, is this, namely, Recipe of the best sauce or pickle called Garum Sociorum that may be gotten, one cyath, of hony one cyath and an halfe, of vineger one cyath, seeth them all together gently ouer a soft fire in a new pot, eftsoon skim∣ming it in the boiling with a feather; and when it hath left casting vp a scum and is sufficiently purified, take it from the fire: and of this decoction warm drop into the pained eares. If the ears be swelled withall, they ordain and prescribe to mitigat & assuage the same first, with the juice [unspec F] of Coriander. The fat of frogs dropt into the eares, allaieth their paine presently. The juice or decoction of craifishes incorporat with fine Barly meale, is a singular and most effectuall salue to heale the wounds of the ears. As for swellings and inflammations rising behind the ears, there is not a better thing to cure them, than to apply therto the ashes of Burrets shels tempered with

hony, or of the Purples Conchylia, with honied wine.

If the teeth ake, the ready means to assuage them, is to scarifie the gums and let them bloud [unspec G] with the sharp bones of the sea-dragon: and withall, to make a collution with the brains of the sea dogfish boiled in oile and saued for the purpose, to wash the mouth and teeth therwith once in a yere. Likewise in the pain of the teeth, found it is most soueraigne to scarifie the gums with the pricky bone or fin of the Puffin or Forkfish, vntill they bleed againe. The same also beeing puluerized, brought into a liniment with white Ellebore, and applied to the teeth, causeth them to fall out of the head without any great paine. Moreouer, the ashes of salt fish burnt in a new earthen vessell, and mixt with the pouder of the marble stone, is reckoned among the remedies for the teeth. In like maner the quadrants or square cantons of the old Tuny fish, * 1.5 burnt to a cole in a new earthen pan, and afterward beaten to pouder, are thought to be good for the tooth ach. [unspec H] Of the like operation and effect (they say) be the pricks and sins of all kindes of salt fish, if they be first burnt to a coale, then puluerized, and therewith the teeth well rubbed. Furthermore, to make a collution to wash the teeth withall, and to hold the liquor in the mouth, some seeth frogs in vineger, with this proportion, that to euery frog they take one hemine of vineger. But because many a mans stomack lothed & abhorred such a medicin, Sallustius Dionysius found the means to hang many of them by the hinder legs ouer the vessell or pan of seething vineger, that out of their mouth there might fall the humor within their bodies into the said vineger. But to those who had good stomacks & were of stronger complexions, he prescribed to eat the very frogs broth & all wherein they were sodden. And in very truth, many are of this opinion, that if the grinders and great jaw teeth do ake, this is a speciall medicine for them; but in case they be [unspec I] loose in the head, then the best way to confirm and set them fast, is a collution with the vineger aforesaid. And for this purpose some there be, who after they haue cut off the feet of 2 frogs, lay their bodies to infuse and steep in one hemine of wine, and so aduise their patients to wash their vnsteedy teeth with the said infusion. Others apply them whole as they be, legs and al outward∣ly to the chawes, and keep them fast thereto. Whereas some again seeth ten of them in 3 sextars af vineger, vntill a third part of the liquor be consumed, and with this decoction thinke to fasten the teeth sure that shake in their fockets. Moreouer, others you shall haue who take the hearts of 36 frogs, and bake or boile them in one sextar of old oile vnder a pan or ouen of brasse; the grauie or liquor whereof they poured into the eare of that side where the cheek or jaw doth ake: whereas many others besides seeth the liuer of a frog, and when they haue stamped and incorpo∣rat [unspec K] it with hony, put it into the hollow teeth, or apply it thereto. But all these medicines aboue∣sayd you must thinke to be more effectuall, if they be made of sea-frogs. Now if the teeth bee worme eaten and stinke withall, they giue order to dry a hundred of them in an ouen all night long: afterwards to put vnto them as much salt in proportion as they come to in weight, and therewith to rub the said faulty teeth. There is a kind of serpent or water-snake called in Latine Coluber, and of the Greeks Enhydris: diuers there be, who with foure of the vpper teeth of this serpent, scarifie the gums of the vpper chaw, in case the teeth therin do ake: and semblably with foure of the nether teeth, if the other bee in paine: and yet some there bee who content them∣selues with the eye-tooth onely. They vse also the ashes of Sea-crabs, and no maruell: for the ashes of Burrets is a dentifrice well knowne for to keepe the teeth cleane, and make them neat [unspec L] and white.

The fat of a sea-Calfe or Seale taketh away the foule tettars called Lichenes, and the filthy leprosie: so do the ashes of Lampreys, if the same be incorporat with hony to the weight of 3 o∣boli. The liuer also of the Puffin boiled in oile. Finally, the ashes of a sea Horse and a Dolphin mixt with water, so that the part affected be well rubbed withall vntill it blister. Now, when it is thus exulcerat, it must be followed with that manner of cure which is appropriat thereto, and namely, vntil it be healed and skinned againe. Some take the liuer of a Dolphin, and fry or tor∣rifie it in an earthen pan, vntil there come from it a kind of grease in manner of oile, & therwith annoint the patients in the cases abouesaid.

If women desire to be rid of the foule frectles, spots, and morphew that do injury vnto their [unspec M] beautie; if they would looke young, and haue their skin plumpe and void of all riuels, let them take the ashes of Burrets and purple shels calcined, incorporat the same with honey into the form of a liniment: within one weeks space if they ply it with annointing, they shal see the ef∣fect thereof; namely, the skin cleare and neat, euen and smooth without wrinkles, & the cheekes

not hollow, but faire and full. Mary vpon the 8 day they must not forget to foment and bath the place with the white of an egge wel beaten. Among the kinds of Burrets called Murices, are to be ranged those shell-fishes which the Greeks some call Colycia, others Corythia, shaped in the shell like to the rest in manner of a turbant, but that they be far lesse, howbeit more effectu∣all: for that besides the other properties abouenamed, this speciall gift they haue, to maintaine a sweet breath. As for the fish or glue called Ichthyocolla, it hath vertue to lay the skin euen without riuels, and to make it rise and appear firm, but then it ought to boile in water the space of 4 houres, afterwards to be stamped, * 1.6 strained, and wrought to the liquid consistence of hony and no more. Thus prepared, it must be put vp into a new vessell neuer occupied, & there kept. When time serues to vse it, to euery 4 drams weight thereof proportion two of brimstone, of Orchanet as much, of litharge of siluer 8 drams: put them all together, and stampe them, with some sprinkling of water among. Herewith let the face bee annointed, and after foure houres wash it off againe. For the spots and pimples in the face, called Lentils, as also for all other de∣formities, the ashes of Curtill bones are thought singular, if the skin be rubbed therewith: and the same consume the excrescence of proud and rank flesh, like as they dry vp any moist and rheumaticke vlcers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Muris marini
• * 1.2

  I. Looking vp to heauen
• * 1.3

  Calametes.
• * 1.4

  Banchi. Some reade Bac•…•…i.
• * 1.5

  Exusta, not E•…•…ta, accor∣ding to Galen.
• * 1.6

  Colata.