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

Every kind of panaces1214 is curative of gripings in the bowels; as also betony, except in those cases where they arise from indigestion. Juice of peucedanum1215 is good for flatulency, acting powerfully as a carminative: the same is the case, also, with root of acoron1216 and with daucus,1217 eaten like lettuce as a salad. Ladanum1218 of Cyprus, taken in drink, is curative of intestinal affections; and a similar effect is produced by powdered gentian, taken in warm water, in quantities about as large as a bean. For the same purpose, plantago1219 is taken in the morning, in doses of two spoonfuls, with one spoonful of poppy in four cyathi of wine, due care being taken that it is not old wine. It is given, too, at the last moment before going to sleep, and with the addition of nitre or polenta,1220 if a considerable time has elapsed since the last meal. For colic, an injection of the juice is used, one hemina at a time, even in cases where fever has supervened.