Mastic

Pliny the Elder didn't come to Port Noarlunga, but he read my blog.

Pliny the Elder: You say the comb was stuck in mastic?

Me: Yes I did say that.

Pliny the Elder: Are you sure that's what it was?

Me: No.

Pliny the Elder: Well, I wish you'd brought it home. If it were truly mastic it would have been a most useful addition to your medicine chest, assuming you people nowadays have such things. Mastic is only produced on the Greek island of Chios, and was well known even in my day. It has many uses including cleaning the teeth and gums and freshening the breath, curing snake bite and ailments of the stomach, relieving burns and itching, and also flavouring bread, pastries, sugar paste, and meatballs.

Me: But Pliny, it had a metal comb stuck in it!

Pliny the Elder: That too could have been useful.

Me: Pliny! Why did I just KNOW you would say that?