Page 92 - My FlipBook

94 FIRST PERIOD—ANTIQUITY

"Eggshells deprived of their internal membrane and afterward burnt
afford a good dentifrice."^ (Hence we see that the use of carbonate of
lime as a dentifrice is a very ancient one.)
"If the head of a dog that has died mad be burnt, the ashes obtained
mav be advantageously used against toothache, mixing it with cyprine
oil and then dropping the mixture into the ear, on the side of the pain.
It is beneficial also to pick the sick tooth with the longest tooth, on the
left side, of a dog; or with the frontal bones of a lizard, taken from the
head of the animal at full moon, and which have not touched the earth.
The teeth of a dog, boiled in wine until this is reduced to one-half, thus,
furnish a mouth wash which can be advantageously used against tooth-
ache. In the cases of difficult dentition, benefit is derived by rubbing
the gums with the ashes of the teeth of a dog, mixed with honey. Such
ashes are also used as a dentifrice. In hollow teeth it is useful to intro-
duce the ashes of the dung of mice, or of the dried liver of lizards. It is
the opinion of some, that in order not to be subject to toothache, a mouse
should be eaten twice a month. If earth-worms be cooked in oil, this
latter has the virtue of calming toothache when dropped into the ear on
the side of the pain. The same effect is obtained by rubbing the teeth
with the ashes of the aforesaid worms, after they have been burnt in a
terra-cotta vase ; and if such ashes be introduced into the hollow teeth,
these fall out very easily. A good remedy against toothache is to wash
the mouth with vinegar of squills in which earth-worms and the root of
the mulberry have been boiled. The ashes of the shells of snails mixed
w^ith myrrh, rubbed on the gums, strengthens them. Even the slough
which the snakes cast off in spring can furnish a remedy against tooth-
ache. For this purpose it must be boiled in oil, with the addition of
resin of the larch, and then the oil dropped into the ear. For the same
purpose, according to some, oil of roses is useful, when a spider, caught
with the left hand, has been pounded in it. If a sparrow's fledglings
be burnt with dry vine twigs, the resulting ashes rubbed with vinegar on
the teeth makes all pain cease in them." It is stated by many that to
improve the odor of the breath, it is well to rub the teeth with ashes of
mice mixed with honey. Some also mingle with this the root of fennel.
Picking the teeth with the quill of a vulture renders the breath sour. It
makes the teeth firm to pick them with a porcupine's quill. A decoction
of swallows in wine sweetened with honey cures ulcers of the tongue
and hps. Scaldings in the mouth produced by hot food or drinks are
readily healed with the milk of a bitch."-'
I hat Plin) did not put great faith in man\ of the things which he
relates is clearK )>roved by several passages of his book, and among
others In the following:
' IJb. xxix, c;ip. xi. - Lil). xxx, cap. viii. * Lib. xxx, cap. ix.