CHAP. 38.—TWO VARIETIES OF EUPHORBIA: FOUR REMEDIES. THE CHAMELÆA.
In the time, too, of our fathers, King Juba discovered667 a plant, to which he gave the name of “euphorbia,” in honour of his physician, Euphorbus, the brother of the same Musa, whom we have mentioned668 as having saved the life of the late Emperor Augustus. It was these brothers who introduced the practice of douching the body with large quantities of cold water, immediately after the bath, for the purpose of bracing the system: whereas in former times, as we find stated in the works of Homer669 even, it was the practice to wash the body with warm water only. With reference to euphorbia,670 there is a treatise still in existence, written upon it by King Juba, in which he highly extols its merits; he discovered it growing upon Mount Atlas, and describes it as resembling a thyrsus in appearance, and bearing leaves like those of the acanthus.671
The properties of this plant are so remarkably powerful,672 that the persons engaged in collecting the juices of it are obliged to stand at a considerable distance. The incisions are made with a long pole shod with iron, the juice flowing into receivers of kid-leather placed beneath. The juice has all the appearance of milk, as it exudes, but when it has coagulated and dried, it assumes the form and consistency of frankincense. The persons engaged in collecting it, find their sight improved673 thereby. This juice is an excellent remedy for the stings of serpents: in whatever part of the body the wound may have been inflicted, the practice is to make an incision in the crown of the head, and there introduce the medicament. The Gætuli who collect it, are in the habit of adulterating it with warm milk;674 a fraud, however, easily to be detected by the agency of fire, that which is not genuine emitting a most disgusting smell.
Much inferior to this is the juice extracted, in Gaul,675 from the chamelæa,676 a plant which bears the grain of Cnidos. When broken asunder, it resembles hammoniacum677 in appearance; and however slightly tasted, it leaves a burning sensation in the mouth, which lasts a considerable time, and increases every now and then, until, in fact, it has quite parched the fauces.