Appendix to the Books on Plants and Peripatetic Questions

its power is most potent for drawing out from the depths. In that situation, we use Thapsia original: "Thapsia"; a plant in the carrot family known for its intense skin-irritating and purgative properties on the top of the head along with Galbanum original: "Galbano"; a bitter aromatic gum resin used for medicinal plasters for severe catarrhs original: "distillationes"; the downward flow of excess humors or mucus with the most happy success. It is a marvel what Dioscorides A famous 1st-century Greek physician and botanist writes: that one is freed from any poison from the bite of venomous creatures if, after the skin on the crown of the head is cut down to the bone, Euphorbium The caustic dried sap of the spurge plant is placed upon the bone and the wound is afterwards healed. However, he does not assert this from his own opinion. Yet it is consistent with reason that in severe symptoms, this "revulsion" The medical practice of drawing a disease or humor from one part of the body to another is a ready remedy, whether a heavy lethargy holds the patient, or a convulsion, or paralysis and other things of this sort; but sharp enemas or other evacuations should be applied first.

When the skin is cut, the sutures The joints between the bones of the skull must be avoided, and the pericranium The membrane covering the skull must be separated from the bone so that it does not become inflamed. Afterwards, once the inflammation is calmed, the Euphorbium should be placed upon the bone, and the wound filled with those things which prevent inflammation and mitigate the burning heat. And if there is need, the Euphorbium should be applied again so that the ulcer may be filled with flesh using a wax salve.

Without a surgical cut, however, and with only the hair shaved, the medicine should be applied over the sutures: at the Coronal suture for those suffering in the anterior parts, and at the Lambdoid suture for those suffering in the posterior parts; at the temples in cases of migraine original: "hemicrania"; a pain affecting one side of the head, having first warmed the place with hot oil.

In place of Euphorbium, we can use the juice of any Spurge original: "Tithymali", especially the Characias variety The Mediterranean "Wood Spurge", extracted in this manner: In summer, around the rising of the Dog Star Late July/August, traditionally the hottest part of the year, let the branches be gathered in the morning; these should be broken and immediately submerged in water in a large earthenware vessel, which is placed in the sun where it may grow hot all day. On the next day, let the branches be removed and others put in. Let the same be repeated every day for 7 or 10 days. Afterwards, let it be strained and kept in the sun until the juice thickens and dries. These things must be carried out in the sun, because fire destroys its powers. This juice, taken in the size of a chickpea with Barley-water original: "Ptisana", purges bile, phlegm, and waters Likely referring to dropsy or edema, with certain fragrant seeds added.

Of the same genus seem to be Hippophaes and Hippophaestum, which Hippocrates The "Father of Medicine," 5th century BCE used for purging waters. Regarding Hippophaes, Dioscorides says: those who clean cloths use this plant; it grows in maritime and sandy places—