The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 5 (of 6)

Chapter 201: CHAP. 82.—THE PERICARPUM; TWO VARIETIES OF IT: TWO REMEDIES.

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

History - Ancient Nature/Gardening/Animals Science - Biology

About This Book

This volume catalogs remedies derived from forest trees and wild plants, presenting systematic entries for dozens of species with prescribed treatments and applications. It enumerates specific uses for resins, barks, leaves, berries, and sap, and gives instructions on preparation, dosage, and testing of potency. The text also records variations among species, regional observations on growth and harvesting, and anecdotes on how certain plants were discovered or associated with animals and human practices. Overall it functions as a practical herbal compendium combining botanical description with medicinal recipes and empirical notes.

CHAP. 82.—THE PERICARPUM; TWO VARIETIES OF IT: TWO REMEDIES.

The pericarpum is a kind of bulbous plant. There are two varieties of it; one with a red 819 outer coat, and the other,820 similar is appearance to the black poppy, and possessed of greater virtues than the first. They are both, however, of a warming nature, for which reason, they are administered to persons who have taken hemlock, a poison for which frankincense and panaces are used, chironion 821 in particular. This last, too, is given in cases of poisoning by fungi.