Sideritis,[1] attached to the body as an amulet, reduces varicose veins, and effects a painless cure. Gout used to be an extremely rare disease, not in the times of our fathers and grandfathers only, but within my own memory even. Indeed, it may justly be considered a foreign complaint; for if it had been formerly known in Italy, it would surely have found a Latin name. It should, however, by no means be looked upon as an incurable malady; for before now, in many instances, it has quitted the patient all at once, and still more frequently, a cure has been effected by proper treatment.

For the cure of gout, roots of panaces[2] are used, mixed with raisins; juice of henbane, or the seed, combined with meal; scordion,[3] taken in vinegar; iberis, as already mentioned;[4] vervain, beaten up with axle-greaseor root of cyclaminos,[5] a decoction of which is good also for chilblains.

As cooling applications for gout, root of xiphion[6] is used; seed of psyllion;[7] hemlock, with litharge or axle-grease; and, at the first symptoms of red gout, or, in other words, hot gout, the plant aizoüm.[8] For either kind of gout, erigeron,[9] with axle-grease, is very useful; leaves of plantago, beaten up with a little salt; or argemonia,[10] pounded with honey. An. application of vervain is also remedial, and it is a good plan to soak the feet in a decoction of that plant in water.