excerpts from BOOK TWO
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CAUTION: only trained herbalists or medical practitioners should attempt these remedies
2-2. ECHINOS CHERSAIOS
Erinaceous genus - Hedgehog
The burnt skin of the earth hedgehog is good for alopecia [baldness] rubbed on with moist pitch. The dried flesh (taken in a drink with honey or vinegar and honey) helps inflamed kidneys, water under the skin [dropsy], and those who have convulsions, elephantiasis, or cachexy [defective nutrition]. It dries up discharges from the bowels and liver. Dried in a sun-dried clay jar, and stored, then given, it does as much good for the same things.
Erinaceous genus - Hedgehog
The burnt skin of the earth hedgehog is good for alopecia [baldness] rubbed on with moist pitch. The dried flesh (taken in a drink with honey or vinegar and honey) helps inflamed kidneys, water under the skin [dropsy], and those who have convulsions, elephantiasis, or cachexy [defective nutrition]. It dries up discharges from the bowels and liver. Dried in a sun-dried clay jar, and stored, then given, it does as much good for the same things.
2-23. SEPIA
Sepia officinalis -- Cuttlefish
The black (ink) of the boiled sepia is hard to digest when eaten and it softens the bowels. The shell formed into washes is good to rub on rough cheeks. Burnt in its own shell until the crusty matter is gone and afterwards pounded into small pieces it cleans vitiligines [form of leprosy], dandruff, teeth and sunspots. It is washed and mixed with eye medicines. It is good for white spots on the cornea (in the eyes) of cattle [veterinary] blown into them. It removes pterygium [membranes on eyes] pounded into small pieces with salt and applied.
Sepia officinalis -- Cuttlefish
The black (ink) of the boiled sepia is hard to digest when eaten and it softens the bowels. The shell formed into washes is good to rub on rough cheeks. Burnt in its own shell until the crusty matter is gone and afterwards pounded into small pieces it cleans vitiligines [form of leprosy], dandruff, teeth and sunspots. It is washed and mixed with eye medicines. It is good for white spots on the cornea (in the eyes) of cattle [veterinary] blown into them. It removes pterygium [membranes on eyes] pounded into small pieces with salt and applied.
Sepia officinalis -- after Owen 1909
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DIOSCORIDES DE MATERIA MEDICA - five books in one volume: New Modern English Translation. A few of the printed books are still available. See HOW TO ORDER page.