" 

 == Hemp in Dioscorides (De Materia Medica) == 

 I was in the middle of trying to go through the definitive classic De Materia Medica by Dioscorides for something else.  Unfortunately, this basic medical work of the world seems to be secret, or something near - it's nearly 2000 years out of copyright, nominated for the UNESCO Memory Hole and on a bajillion Web sites, but as far as I can tell, there's not one full intact original book scan to be publicly accessed anywhere on the planet.  The best I can come up with is a no-pictures German translation of unknown (to me) provenance which when autotranslated into English gives me this weirdness, which seems awfully short by comparison to what the occasional photo of a page looks like.  Which is: 

 ""The hemp - Some call it Kannabion, Other Schoinostrophon, 
 Asterion - is a plant which used a lot in life 
 is to weave the strongest ropes. He has those of the ash 
 similar überlriechende leaves, long, single stem and a round 
 Fruit, which, richly enjoyed, destroyed procreation. Green Green 
 instilled processed into juice, and it is a good antidote 
 Ear disease."" 

 Now this leaves me with some questions, like whether the ""rich enjoyment of the fruit"" is recreational consumption, and if so, how far back this can be documented; also does the ""destroys procreation"" statement truly indicate that Dioscorides knew of the much debated sperm-confusing capability; and then there's the medicinal use on ear disease?  Which seems especially scanty, given the herb's potential usefulness in surgeries as Susruta knew.  

 It would be good if someone can get a better angle on this; the information seems worth including.   "