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THE HISTORY OF INK.

tem sumi oportet minarn unam, gummi sesquilibram, taurini glutinis et chalcanthi singulorum sesquiunciam Idoneum est ad septica; et confert ambustis ex aqua paullo crassius inunctum et tamdiu dimissum, donec cicatrix obducatur, sanatis nimirum ulceribus sponte sua excidit.

Atque jam, carissime Aree, tum pro operis modo, quem proposueramus tum pro materiae auxiliorumque copia, quam colligere licuit, hucusque dicta sufficiant.

Libri quinti et ultimi de Materia Medica finis.

Pedanii Dioscoridis Anazarbei De Materia Medica.

[TRANSLATION.]

[The] "Ink with which we write, is composed of the soot of torches, collected.

"To each ounce of gum, add three of soot.

"It is also made of the soot of resin and of that lately, called 'painters' black.' Of this, soot, however,—take one mina,—of gum, half a pound,—of ox-glue and of copperas, each, half an ounce.

"It is a good application in cases of gangrene, and is useful in scalds, if a little thickened and employed as a saline, and permitted to remain until a new cuticle is formed, when it will spontaneously fall off from the healed sore.

"And now, my very dear Areus, in due proportion to the work which we had undertaken, and the quantity of the materials and contributions which we could gather, what we have thus far said must suffice.