A simple linctus or lohock from horehound, principally for consumptions. Boil a pound of the hair of horehound in six heminæ of water until but a third remain; then throw away the herb, and adding to the water an equal quantity of honey, boil to the consistence of honey, and give one cochleare (spoonful).
A compound lohock from horehound. Of the hairy parts of horehound, of Illyrian iris, of hyssop, of pennyroyal, of liquorice, of parsley, of each, oz. ij; of fatty dried figs, oz iij; of the kernels of the pine containing rosin, oz. iij; bruise the dry things into large pieces, and macerate with the figs in sextar. iij of water, and boil to a third part. Then having strained the water, add of honey, lb. ij, and boil to the consistence of honey.
The lohock from tares. Of bitter almonds, oz. ij; of the flour of tares, oz. iv; of hyssop, oz. iv; of iris, oz. ss; of toasted pine-nuts, oz. ij; of honey, sextar. j, or q. s.
The lohock called Dodecatheon. Of Illyrian iris, oz. iv; of tares, oz. iv; of hyssop, oz. ij; of nettle-seed, oz. ij; of liquorice, oz. ij; of fenugreek, oz. ij; of the bulbi, oz. iv; of toasted linseed, oz. iv; of gith, scr. xviij; of pennyroyal, scr. viij; of toasted pine-nuts, oz. ij; of pepper, scr. vj; of honey, q. s.
The antidote Sotira. Of spikenard, scr. xxxix; of myrrh, scr. xxvij; of saffron, scr. xxxvij; of castor, scr. xxxix; of opium, scr. xxxvj; of stone-parsley, scr. xlv; of anise, scr. ix; of parsley, scr. vij; of the schœnanth, scr. xxxvj; of cassia, scr. xij; of long pepper, scr. xij; of the seed of sinon, scr. vj; of storax, scr. xviij; of amomum, scr. xij; of seseli, scr. xij; of hedychroum, scr. xviij; of costus, scr. xviij; of asarabacca, scr. xviij; of honey, q. s.
The cough medicine from storax. Of amomum, of cassia, of each, oz. ij; of storax, of spikenard, of each, oz. iss; of saffron, of white pepper, of each oz. j; of honey, sext. j; give a spoonful.
The medicine of Philoxenus for empyema and chronic defluxions. Of turpentine, dr. xxviij; of nard, dr. xvj; of the oil of myrrh, dr. vj; of cardamom, of the bulbi, dr. vj; of saffron, dr. xij; of galbanum, dr. xvj; bitter almonds, lxxx; of honey, a hemina. It is given in water to drink to the size of an Egyptian bean.
The much-used antidote of Esdra; it is very desiccative. Of amomum, scr. vj; of saffron, scr. xviij; of the seed of carrot, scr. iss; of the seed of fennel, scr. iij; of cassia, scr. iss; of schœnanth, scr. iiiss; of cinnamon, scr. iij; of the juice of hypocistis, scr. ivss; of sulphur, scr. v; of poppy-seeds, scr. v; of pellitory, scr. iij; of stone-parsley, scr. iss; of Illyrian iris, scr. vijss; of the seeds of henbane, gr. xiijss; of spikenard, scr. vijss; of the seeds of rue, scr. iss; of dill, scr. iij; of cardamom, scr. iij; of dried roses, scr. ivss; of the flower of nerium (it is, as it were, the flower-cup from which the rose of the rose-bay emerges), and of the rose of it, of each, scr. iij; of Pontic rhubarb, scr. vj; of gentian, scr. vj; of hedychroum, scr. iss; of tragacanth, scr. xv; of buckthorn, scr. vj; of the leaves of citron, scr. vj; of the seed of basil, scr. iss; of anise, scr. iij; of euphorbium, scr. iij; of Indian leaf, scr. ij; of Celtic nard, scr. vj; of spignel, scr. iij; of costus, of myrrh, of each, scr. vj; of bdellium, scr. xvj; of the juice of southernwood, scr. xiij; of Syriac sumach, scr. xxvss; of asarabacca, of the belly of a cormorant, of the jasper-stone, of each, scr. iij; of pepper, scr. xv; of castor, scr. iss; of Cimolian earth, scr. vj; of sison (bishop’s weed?), scr. ix; of storax, scr. ix; of opobalsam, scr. xij; of the herb seseli, scr. iss; of honey, oz. xxviij; of wine, q. s.
The medicine from the flesh of quinces. Three pounds of clean quinces are boiled in three sextarii of old wine, then pounded, and there is added to them, of pepper, of anise, of lovage, of each, when triturated, oz. j. Some also add, of ginger, oz. ss; and others, instead of the wine, use vinegar.
The medicine from the juice of quinces of approved efficacy for anorexia and dyspepsia. Of the juice of ripe quinces, sext. ij; of fine honey, sext. ij; of vinegar, sext. j; of ginger, oz. iij; of white pepper, oz. ij: boil to a proper consistence. Galen prepares it for those affected with cold. But, he says, when bile prevails, prepare it without the pepper and ginger.
The preparation of a tablet from quinces. Six pounds of clean quinces are boiled in wine until they become soft. Then being strained and triturated, some add, of honey, lb. viij, and boil at a slow fire, stirring with a piece of reed until the whole will not stain the hand; and then they add the following things bruised: of pepper, oz. iij; of anise, oz. iij; of stone-parsley, oz. j. Some also add of ginger, oz. j, and of mastich, oz. j. When mixed, they are formed into cakes of half an ounce each, and are composed along with bay-leaves.
Another medicine from quinces, having the pieces bruised, but entire. Of clean quinces cut into pieces, lb. viij are boiled in sext. viij of wine moderately, so that they may not be dissolved. Then there are mixed with them of despumated honey, lb. viij; of pepper, oz. viij; of stone-parsley, of anise, of each, oz. iij; of ginger, oz. v; of spikenard, oz. iss; of cloves, oz. j. When all these things are pounded and moderately boiled to the consistence of broth, take them off, and having cooled it, add the pieces of quinces to the broth.
The antidote from three peppers. Of common, of white, and of long pepper, of each, dr. vij; of ginger, of anise, of thyme-tops, dr. ij; of honey, q. s.
Another, of Oribasius. Of white pepper, oz. ij; of black and of long pepper, of spikenard, of cinnamon, of bishop’s weed, of walnut, of hyssop, of seseli, of carrot, of stone-parsley, of each, oz. j; of ginger, dr. iv; of honey, lb. iij.
Another. Of common pepper, oz. iij; of white pepper, oz. j; of long, oz. j; of stone-parsley, of cinnamon (or double the quantity of cassia), of ginger, of each, oz. j; of honey, oz. xxj, or q. s.; and have also mixed of the corymbi of thyme, oz. j.
The diospolites. Of cumin, which has been macerated in water and toasted, oz. j; of pepper, of ginger, of each, oz. ij; of green rue, oz. iss; of natron, dr. iiss. Mix with honey.
The medicine from calamint. Of stone-parsley, of penny-royal, of seseli, of calamint, of each, oz. iij; of parsley-seed, oz. j; of the corymbi of thyme, oz. j; of lovage, oz. iv; of pepper, dr. xij; of honey, q. s.
The medicine from citron, for those of slow digestion. Of vinegar, heminæ iij; of the flesh of citron, lb. j; of hyssop, of rue, of origany, of each, a fasciculus; having been allowed to macerate for a night and a day in the vinegar, they are to be boiled to a third, and being expressed, are to be thrown away. But with the vinegar is mixed of honey, sext. j; and then it is to be boiled to the consistence of honey. When it acquires consistence, there is to be added to it, of asarabacca, of spignel, of white pepper, of each, oz. ij. The dose is a spoonful in the morning and at bedtime.
The picra of Galen. Of aloes, dr. c; of xylobalsam, of mastich, of saffron, of spikenard, of asarabacca, of cinnamon, of each, dr. vj; some add also, of schœnanth and of cassia, of each, dr. vj. Give dr. j in hydromel.
The picra from oxymel for stomach complaints, colics, affections of the uterus, and dropsy. Of aloes, oz. iv; of Indian leaf, oz. ij; of costus, of cassia, of amomum, of iris, of each, dr. j; of the bark of the root of fennel, lb. j; of mastich, of Celtic nard, of ginger, of each, dr. j; of pepper, dr. j; of spignel, dr. j; of vinegar, sext. iss; of honey, sext. iss. The fennel being first boiled in the vinegar is thrown away, then the honey is added, and after boiling to the consistence of honey, the other things are sprinkled in powder.
An excellent composition from the liver of a wolf. Of gentian, of ground-pine, of stone-parsley, of horehound, of the gall of a bear, of mustard, of ceterach, of the root of panax, of rubrica, of madder, of cabbage-seed, of long birthwort, of white pepper, of spikenard, of costus, of the seed of rocket, of the seed of eryngo, of poley, of viper’s bugloss, of hemp-agrimony, of juniper-berries, of the liver of a wolf, of elecampane, equal parts. Mix with well-boiled honey. The dose is the size of a filbert, with boiled wine and honey.
The antidote Theodoretus with anacardia. Of anacardia, oz. iss; of saffron, of cassia, of Indian leaf, of spikenard, of cloves, of spignel, of agaric, of schœnanth, of Pontic rhubarb, of dodder of thyme, of each, dr. iv; of sweet-flag, of pepper, of each, oz. iss; of aloes, oz. iij; of saxifrage, of mastich, of Illyrian iris, of each, oz. iss; of nutben, oz. j; of honey, lb. vj, or q. s.
The Theodoretus without anacardia. Of aloes, dr. lx; of agaric, dr. xxiv; of saffron, of cassia, of Pontic rhubarb, of sweet-flag, of cinnamon, of mastich, of each, dr. x; of costus, of the seed of rue, of white pepper, of each, dr. viij; of spikenard, dr. iij; of xylobalsam, of asarabacca, of germander, of spignel, of each, dr. iv; of honey, q. s. Some here add two anacardia. The dose is dr. ij, with honeyed water.
The cyphoides for hepatic affections and complaints in the chest. Of the flesh of dried grape, dr. xxv; of saffron, dr. j; of calamus, dr. ij; of bdellium, dr. iiss; of cassia, dr. iss; of cinnamon, three oboli; of nard, three oboli; of sweet rush, dr. ij; of myrrh, dr. iv; of turpentine, dr. iv; of the scrapings of aspalathus, twelve oboli; of honey, dr. xvj; of wine, q. s.
Another cyphoides, of Alexander. Of saffron, of cinnamon, of bdellium, of each, dr. iv; of myrrh, of calamus, of each, dr. ij; of bitumen, of schœnanth, of each, dr. iij; of cassia, of nard, of each, dr. j; of turpentine, dr. xvj; of the flesh of dried grapes, dr. clx; of honey, hemin. iss; of Chian wine, q. s.
An hepatic medicine from cacanus. Of cacanus, oz. j; of costus, oz. j; of Indian leaf, scr. viij; of white pepper, scr. vj; of spikenard, scr. vj; of honey, q. s. Give a spoonful with hippocras.
The Zopyrius. Of myrrh, dr. v; of saffron, of cassia, of each, dr. iv; of cinnamon, dr. iij; of spikenard, dr. ij; of schœnanth, dr. ij; of white pepper, dr. iss; of frankincense, dr. j; of costus, dr. j; of honey, q. s.
The Pæonian antidote. Of the styrax calamite, dr. vj; of frankincense, of amomum, of saffron, of each, oz. iss; of spikenard, dr. vj; of Indian leaf, dr. ij; of white pepper, dr. vj; and of common, dr. viij; of myrrh, oz. j; of costus, oz. j; of honey, q. s.
The hepatic pills, of Dositheus. Of aloes, oz. j; of spikenard, of Indian leaf, of costus, scr. ij; of agaric, scr. viij; of mastich, scr. xiij; of dodder of thyme, dr. iv; of Pontic rhubarb, scr. j.
The splenic oxymel. Of the bark of the root of capers, of scolopendrium, of spikenard, of asarabacca, of iris, of schœnanth, of the flower of cyperus, of anise, of cumin, of fennel, of sweetflag, of the fruit of heath, of each, oz. j; of the leaves of tamarisk, of the leaves of willow, of the root of parsley, of the frankincense tree, of squills, of each, oz. ij; of vinegar, sextar. iij; of honey, sext. iij; of ammoniac perfume, oz. iij. Prepare like that from squills. Give two spoonfuls.
An oxymel for calculous complaints. Of saxifrage, of bettony, of couch-grass, of maiden-hair, of spikenard, of carpesium, of asarabacca, of eryngo, of each, oz. j; of Macedonian stone-parsley, of the seed of rue, of each, oz. ss; of green fennel, of iris, of baked squills, of knee-holly (chamædaphne), of each, oz. ij; of the bark of the root of capers, oz. iij; of water-parsnip, oz. ij; of water, of vinegar, of honey, of each, sext. ij.
The lithontriptic posca. Of pennyroyal, of mastich, of parsley-seed, of dried mint, of each, oz. j; of common salt toasted, lb. j; of coriander-seed, of spikenard, of anise, of bishop’s weed, of each, scr. vj; of Indian leaf, scr. iv; of white pepper, oz. ss, (or of common oz. j); of the seed of gromwell, oz. vj; of bettony, oz. vj; of fine vinegar, sext. v. When all are pounded, sifted, and triturated very fine, let them be mixed with vinegar for three days, and exposed in the sun for forty days. At the time of using, having made a decoction of black chick-peas, and of the root of asparagus, and of maiden-hair, and of parsley, add, for the sake of temperament, of vinegar hemin. ij, and let the patient drink it in the hot bath. Some give scr. xij of the afore-mentioned things, in powder with oxycrate mixed with the decoction of the afore-mentioned herbs; and the medicine is no less efficacious.
A lithontriptic hippocras. Of white pepper, of saxifrage, of spikenard, of gromwell, of bettony, of each, oz. j; of stone-parsley, of Indian leaf, of each, oz. iss; of the seed of wild rue, oz. ss; of honey, sext. j; of Ascolonitic wine, sext. xvj.
The medicine from the blood of the buck-goat. When the grape begins to ripen, take the blood of a full-grown buck-goat, and having dried it in the sun, give to persons affected with calculi two spoonfuls of it with Cretan must. Some also mix, of amomum, of Indian leaf, of each, oz. iij; and others of myrrh, scr. iv.
The nephritic composition from cicadæ. Of gromwell, of the garfish burned, of seseli, of each, oz. j; of bishop’s weed, of the seed of the garden cucumber, of common saxifrage, of grapes without their stones, of the seed of marsh-mallows, of the white fasil, of lyncurium, of each, oz. ss; of spikenard, of valerian, of spignel, of the stones from sponges, of each, dr. j; of maidenhair, of the seed within the Christ’s thorn, of water-parsnip, of the root of brambles, of couch-grass, of polypody, of each, dr. iij; of goat’s blood dried, as described, scr. vj; of dried cicadæ, without the head, wings, and feet, oz. iv; of white pepper, dr. vj; of boiled honey, q. s. The dose is the size of a filbert in hippocras, or the decoction of caltrops, or of saxifrage, or of sinon, or of the root of asparagus, or of couch-grass, or of cinquefoil, or of the root of fullers-herb.
The antidote from gromwell. Of gromwell, of betony, of saxifrage, of stone-parsley, of white pepper, equal parts. Mix with honey.
The antidote from the seed of leeks. Of white and of black pepper, of Cretan carrot, of the seed of the garden cucumber, of the seed of fennel, of the seed of leeks, of Macedonian stone-parsley, of pellitory, of ginger, of the Indian leaf, of each, oz. j; of honey, q. s.
The antidote from tecolithos, or lapis Judaicus. Of spikenard, of hyssop, of lapis Judaicus, of each, scr. viij; of pepper, scr. xij; of ginger, of stone-parsley, of costus, of saxifrage, of each, scr. vj; of cassia, of parsley-seed, of each, scr. iij; of cyperus, scr. vj; of the scrapings of ivory, scr. iv; of the wood of cardamom, scr. vj; of gromwell, scr. iv; of honey, q. s.
The antidote from the seed of the wild mallow. Of the seed of the garden cucumber, dr. xij; of the seed of henbane, dr. vj; of the seed of hemlock, dr. iij (but some use vj); of opium, of fennel, of the seed of the wild mallow, of saffron, of each, dr. iij; of parsley-seed, dr. vj; of cassia, dr. iv; almonds, x; walnuts, x; filberts, x; of asarabacca, dr. iv; mix with Cretan must, and give three oboli, if the patient be free from fever, with rob. But some mix it with honey.
A nephritic medicine from dessert-fruits, for ulceration of the bladder and kidneys. Of the white grape, deprived of its stones, of fresh pine-nuts, of each, oz. ij; of the seed of cucumber, stripped of its bark; of myrtles deprived of their bones; of bitter almonds, of fatty dates, of parsley-seed, of poppy-seed, of saffron, of each, dr. j; of myrrh, oz. ij. Give a drachm of it in must to the patient, fasting.
The satyriac antidote. Of ginger, of the superior satyrion (herb dogs-tooth?), of each, dr. viij, of the tail of a scink, of spignel, of asarabacca, of stone-parsley, of cardamom, of seseli, of each, dr. iv; of the seed of rocket, of cinnamon, of each, dr. iij; of all-good (horminum), of white pepper, of the seed of bastard saffron, of each, dr. ij; of the schœnanth, of spikenard, of each, dr. j, of goat’s blood, a mystrum (spoonful). A drachm is given with wine, but to those who are weaker, with milk.
Pills from xylomacer for dysenteries. Of xylomacer, of opium, of Pontic rhubarb, of each, scr. vj; of gall, of myrrh, of each, oz. j; mix with palm wine.
Remedies for the gout. The antidote from corallium. Of rheum barbarum, of pæony, of troglodytic myrrh, of spikenard, of each, oz. ij; of Indian leaf, oz. j; of cloves, gr. xv, of the pimpernel having the purple flower which they call corallium, oz. ss; of long birthworth, oz. iv, and of round, oz. vj. One scruple is to be given as a dose every day to the patient, when digestion is accomplished. We must begin at the autumnal equinox, which is about the 24th of the month of September; and it is to be taken regularly for fifty days, and then interrupted for fifteen days; and this is to be done until the whole 365 days be completed. It is to be given up during the whole of the dog-days, that is, from the 24th of June to the end of August. The patient must abstain from venery, from flesh, particularly that of swine, and from pickle, sauce, beet, carrot, mint, and from boiled lettuces and pompions; from fishes, as the mullet, gomphi (gobii?), mollusca, and the testacea; from all the legumes, and in short from all things which furnish a thick chyme, and from black wine, and from much wine of any kind. He is to bathe every day, and take exercise either on foot or on horseback, or in a vehicle. Those who are of a drier habit have not been injured by a less restricted diet.
The podagric antidote of Agapetus. Of Indian leaf, of rheum barbarum, of saffron, of spikenard, of troglodytic myrrh, of costus, of germander, of each, oz. ij; of hepatic aloes, oz. v; of St. John’s wort, of pæony, of each, oz. iij; of long birthwort, of valerian, of spignel, of vervain mallow, of pimpernel, of each, oz. iv. The mode of using it is the same as that of corallium.
The podagric remedy, called atactos. Of Indian leaf, of spignel, of vervain mallow, of the pimpernel having the blue flower, of madder, of mastich, of saffron, of cassia, of hepatic aloes, of gentian, of germander, of each, oz. j; of cloves, of white and of black pepper, of each, oz. ss; of spikenard, of myrrh, of rheum barbarum, of the root of pæony, of the long birthwort, and of the round, of each, oz. ij. To be used in like manner.
The podagric antidote of Proclus, answering also with ischiatic disease. Of germander, oz. ix; of centaury, oz. viij; of birthwort, oz. vij; of gentian, oz. vj; of St. John’s wort, oz. v; of Macedonian stone-parsley, oz. iv; of spignel, oz. iij; of agaric, oz. ij; of valerian, oz. j; of Attic honey, two heminæ.
The composition from seven ingredients for the same purposes. Of St. John’s wort, of long birthwort, of each, oz. j; of centaury, of ground pine, of agaric, of each, oz. iij; of germander, oz. vj; of gentian, oz. v. Some add likewise, of stone-parsley, oz. j; of honey, dr. v. The dose is dr. j.
Commentary. Celsus thus defines the nature of antidotes: “Antidota raro, sed præcipue interdum necessaria sunt, quia gravisismis casibus opitulantur. Ea recte quidem dantur collisis corporibus vel per ictus, vel ubi ex alto deciderunt, vel in viscerum, laterum, faucium, interiorumque partium doloribus; maxime autem desideranda sunt adversus venena, vel per morsus, vel per cibos, aut potiones nostris corporibus inserta.” He gives prescriptions for three antidotes. They consist principally of stimulant and aromatic medicines, mixed with honey and wine. (v, 23.)
Most of the antidotes treated of in this chapter are copied from Galen’s work ‘De Antidotis,’ but our author, in many instances, has used the liberty to introduce various alterations, either with the view of simplifying or improving upon the formulæ of Galen. Mesue also treats fully of antidotes in his work, ‘De Electariis,’ wherein he substitutes a considerable number of Arabic articles for those used by the Greeks. Serapion describes these compositions with extreme prolixity. (Tract. vii.) But what shall we say of Myrepsus, who gives prescriptions for 511 antidotes? Of these, and such like multifarious compositions, it would be idle to attempt any general analysis, and therefore we shall pass by all the articles treated of in this chapter unnoticed, with the exception of the Theriac, which was so celebrated in the records of ancient medicine, that we think ourselves called upon to give some further account of it. Galen devotes two distinct treatises to the consideration of the celebrated theriac from vipers, besides giving a general description of it in his work on antidotes. Our author’s account of it is merely an abridgment of his. Galen mentions that Mithridates, king of Pontus, had, by repeated experiments upon condemned malefactors, acquired a most thorough knowledge of the proper antidotes for almost every venomous reptile and poisonous substance, and hence he constructed the composition bearing his name, which was long esteemed as a general antidote to deleterious substances. From it Andromachus, the chief physician to the emperor Nero, formed his famous theriac, having added the flesh of vipers, and otherwise altered some of the ingredients in the theriac of Mithridates. The prescription for it was translated into verse by Damocrates, and the poem, consisting of 174 lines, is preserved in Galen’s work, ‘De Antidotis.’ As stated by Galen, it was composed of inspissated juices, liquid juices, barks, roots, flowers, seeds, and fleshes. Of the vegetable substances which entered into the composition of it, it is difficult to remark any one general character, although one can have no difficulty in perceiving that by far the greater number of them are hot, volatile stimulants, which, agreeably to the ancient views of practice, as explained by us in the Fifth Book, were supposed to counteract the frigidity of poisons. It was, no doubt, with the same intention that Andromachus added the flesh of vipers, from which, as a modern author, Moses Charras, remarks, a volatile salt and oil are procured. In preparing the vipers, Galen directs us to cut off the head and tail to the extent of four fingers’ breadth, and then to take out their entrails and fat, and boil them until the backbone be separated from the flesh, when the latter is to be taken out and formed into trochisks, with crumb of bread. We need not occupy time with detailing all the other steps in the formation of this multifarious composition, as our author’s account is sufficiently ample and accurate. Galen expresses great confidence in it, especially as an antidote to poisons, and a remedy for inveterate diseases of the skin, such as leprosy and elephantiasis. It derives its name, he says, either from its being used as a remedy for the stings of venomous animals (θήρια), or because the flesh of such a reptile, namely, the viper, entered into the composition of it.
The Greek authorities subsequent to Galen repeat his directions for forming this celebrated medicine, and any alterations which they make in it are not very important. The Rheum barbarum instead of the Rhâ Ponticum appears in the prescription given by Myrepsus. Like his predecessors, he praises the theriac not only as an antidote to poisons, but as a preservative from pestilential diseases. Actuarius, who describes it very accurately, pronounces it to be the best of all the antidotes.
Averrhoes’s treatise on the theriac is interesting and worth consulting, although his views are upon the whole much in accordance with those of Galen. He seems to have referred its action as a medicine to its power in rousing the vital heat of the system; and hence he very properly forbids it to be administered in all cases of an inflammatory and bilious nature. He therefore condemns the use of it in pleurisy unless when the pain is dull and chronic. He says, it ought not to be given in cases of difficult parturition, unless when it is wished to rouse the expulsive faculty, or when the fœtus is dead. According to his account, the composition has not arrived at perfection, when it is four years old, and it retains its powers until after forty years.
Haly Abbas sums up the medicinal properties of the theriac with stating that it dries the natural humidity, strengthens the viscera, cleanses the organs of food and respiration, and expels superfluities from the brain. Hence he pronounces it to be a remedy for all the diseases which attack the human body. (Pract. x, 4.)
Serapion describes the following methods of trying whether the theriac be good: 1st. Give of it to the amount of a drachm to a person who has taken a powerful emetic or cathartic, such as white hellebore or scammony, and if it counteract the effect of the medicine that has been taken, we know that it is genuine. 2d. As Galen directs, having got a wild cock, allow it to be stung by a venomous reptile, and then give it a proper dose of the theriac. If the fowl escape unhurt we are sure that the medicine is good; but if he die we know that it is not to be depended upon. 3d. Give a poisonous substance, such as opium, to a cock or a dog, and then administer the theriac, the powers of which may be judged of from the result.
Moses Charras, who published ‘The Royal Pharmacopœia’ about the end of the seventeenth century, thus enumerates the medicinal uses of the theriac of Andromachus: “Treacle being composed of a great quantity of hot medicaments, ought to be very much esteemed for the cure of cold diseases, and of all those where the natural heat is feeble and languishing, especially, among the rest, of palsies, epilepsies, convulsions, and all cold diseases of the head. It is proper against all weaknesses and want of retention in the stomach and intestines; against the diarrhœa, dysentery, lientery, morbus cholera, and all sort of colics; against agues, and particularly the quartan; against the worms; against all sorts of poison, the pestilence, smallpox, the measles, and all epidemic diseases; against the biting of mad dogs and all sorts of venomous animals; against want of sleep, and griping pains in children; against hysteric passions, the jaundice, and an infinite sort of other diseases.” (P. i, c. 20.)
This famous medicine was expelled from the ‘British Pharmacopœia’ about the middle of the last century. When its rejection was proposed by Dr. Heberden, the College divided upon the question, and there were found to be 13 votes for retaining, and 14 for rejecting it. Its medicinal virtues had been previously questioned by Capivaccius, Trincavallius, and Julius Alexandrinus. It is still retained, however, in the ‘Codex Medicamentarius’ of Paris; and, we understand, is much used by the Greek physicians in Constantinople. A formula for a theriac is contained in the Greek Pharmacopœia of the present day. Although it still retains the name of “Theriaca Andromachi,” it consists of but a very small number of ingredients in comparison with the original preparation. Dr. Mead says of it, “The physicians in Italy and France very commonly prescribe the broth and jelly of viper’s flesh to invigorate and purify the mass of blood exhausted with diseases or tainted with some vicious and obstinate ferment.” (On Poisons.) Upon the virtues of viper’s flesh, Duemerbroeck expresses himself in the following terms: “Carnes viperinas ac serpentinas adversus multa venena eximiam antidotalem vim obtinere adeo notum est ut absolutè negari non possit, idque non tantum liquet ex Galeni testimoniis verum etiam ex quotidianâ experientiâ. Sic Hartmannus scribit se propriis oculis vidisse, a quodam experto medico tribus diebus continuis intra corpus gravissima quædam venena assumpta eademque paulo post sine ullâ noxâ, ab exhibito pulvere cum astantium admiratione iterum expulsa fuisse.” (De Peste, iii, 5.)
Trochisks are so named from their form. There are three kinds of them. For some of them are to be swallowed, some injected, and some rubbed in. Of those which are swallowed, some are for restraining the belly, or a flow of blood, or any other discharge, by their cooling, astringent, obstruent, or desiccative qualities, such as that from Egyptian thorn, that from seeds, and the like. Some are anodyne, either by deadening the sensibility, such as the saffron, or by dispelling, like those from aromatic substances. Some act as deobstruents on the spleen, kidneys, and liver, such as that from bitter almonds. Of those which are injected, some are for blunting acrimony, as in dysentery, such as those from pompholyx, starch, and Samian earth, injected with the juice of ptisan, or the like. Some act as astringents upon the alvine discharges, or a flow of blood, as those from alum, acacia, and omphacium, such as that of Philip; or that consisting of Egyptian thorn, injected with the juice of roses or of plantain. Those that are caustic agree with spreading dysenteries, being composed of sandarach, arsenic, quicklime, and burnt pepper; but they are to be injected with the juice of lentils or of rice, the intestine being first washed out with salt water, and the patients having eaten and drunk beforehand, so that none of the powers of the medicine may be carried up to the stomach. Those trochisks which are injected prove serviceable principally in affections below the navel, for their power does not reach higher up. Those which are rubbed in are possessed of similar powers to those which are injected. But the astringent ones are applicable in herpes, exanthemata, intertrigo, hemorrhage, and ulcers attended with discharges, such as that of Andron and that of Polyides. Those possessed of blunting powers agree with carbuncle, and ill-conditioned ulcers, such as the white trochisks, and that from lotaria. Those which burn as those mentioned above, like the Faustian, are applicable in spreading ulcers in the pudenda and anus, and for pterygia and sarcomata.
The trochisk aster. Of saffron, of castor, of spikenard, of cassia, of myrrh, of Lemnian earth, of the bark of mandragora, of each, oz. iv; of carrot, of parsley, of anise, of seseli, of the seed of henbane, of storax, of each, dr. viij. Triturate with wine.
The trochisk trigonus. Of the seed of parsley, of the seed of henbane, of each, dr. ij; of anise, dr. viij; of opium, dr. iij. Triturate with water.
The trochisk from seeds. Of anise, of bishop’s weed, of the seed of fennel, of each, dr. iv; of the seed of parsley, of opium, of the seed of henbane, of each, dr. ij. Triturate with water.
The trochisk croceus, or saffron trochisk. Of anise, of the seed of Cretan carrot, of each, dr. iv; of myrrh, of castor, of each, dr. ij; of saffron, of opium, of each, dr. iij; of the seed of parsley, of storax, of each, dr. iv; of the seed of henbane, dr. vj. Triturate with water.
The trochisk from roses. Of acacia, of gum, of the flower of roses, of pomegranate flowers, of the juice of hypocistis, of galls, of each, dr. iij; of the juice of green roses, of the seed of plantain, of each, dr. j; of Indian buckthorn, dr. j.
The trochisk from corallium. Of the seed of henbane, of frankincense, of each, dr. viij; of Samian earth, of corallium, of Sinopic vermilion, of opium, of each, dr. iv; of starch, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of each, dr. ij. Mix with the juice of knotgrass.
The trochisk from amber. Of fleawort, oz. v; of mastich, oz. iv; of the scrapings of amber, of iris, of saffron, of each, oz. iv; of opium, oz. ij.
The trochisk from Egyptian thorn. Of Egyptian thorn, of sumach, of frankincense, of acacia, of stone-alum, of the juice of hypocistis, of galls, of Lemnian earth, of corallium, of comfrey, of Samian aster, of aloes, of Cretan cistus, equal parts. Mix with wine.
The trochisk which Galen entitles the aphrodisiasticum clidion. Of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, of Egyptian thorn, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of the juice of hypocistis, of acacia, of each, dr. vj; of buckthorn, of Pontic rhubarb, of opium, of each, dr. iv; of myrrh, dr. ij. Mix with myrtle wine, or the decoction of roses or of myrtles.
The clidion of Oribasius, for dysentery and cæliac affection. Of the immature gall, dr. viij; of opium, dr. iv. Form into pills with water, and give three or four.
The trochisk from hartshorn for dysentery and hæmoptysis. Of snails, dr. xij; of burnt hartshorn, of roasted galls, of roasted acacia, of each, dr. v; obol. xij; of black myrtles, dr. xv; of dried opium, of the juice of hypocistis, of each, dr. v; of the œnanthe, dr. v; of the juice of the root of mandragora, of terra aster, of each, dr. xij; of the sumach used for condiments, dr. xiv; of roasted pomegranate rind, dr. vij; of frankincense, dr. viij; of the roasted bark of pine, dr. xiv; of the seed of henbane roasted, dr. x; of the rhus coriaria, sext. ii; of dark-coloured wine, what will be sufficient to boil the sumach until the wine become thick. When it is strained, add the other things, and form the trochisks.
The trochisk of the Amazons. Of the seed of parsley, of anise, of each, dr. vj; of the hair of wormwood, dr. iv; of myrrh, of pepper, of opium, of castor, of each, dr. ij; of cinnamon, dr. vj. Mix with water.
The trochisk from bitter almonds. Of anise, of the seed of parsley, of asarabacca, of bitter almonds, of the hair of wormwood, equal parts; form, with water, trochisks of dr. j each. Give to those who are free from fever in wine and honey, and to those who have fever in water and honey.
The splenic trochisk from heath. Of the fruit of heath, dr. iv; of white pepper, of Syriac nard, of ammoniac perfume, of each, dr. ij. The ammoniac is dissolved in water, and added to the powders, and trochisks are formed containing a drachm each. The dose is one trochisk, with one cyathus of oxymel.
The trochisk from alkakengi. Of the seed of the cultivated cucumber, stripped of its bark, oz. iv; of the seed of henbane, of hemlock, of each, oz. ij; of fennel, of the seed of dock, of saffron, of pine nuts, of bitter almonds, of opium, of each, oz. j; of alkakengi, sext. iij; of wine, q. s.
The trochisk of Philip, for dysentery. Of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of acacia, of the juice of hypocistis, of opium, of sumach, of frankincense, of myrrh, of saffron, of gall, of aloes, of Pontic rhubarb, of the rind of pomegranate, of myrtles, of each, dr. iv. Mix with austere wine, and form into trochisks of three oboli each. Give to those who are free from fever with wine, and to those in fever with hydromel.
The trochisk of Musa. Of alum, of aloes, of myrrh, of copperas (blue vitriol?) of each, oz. iss; of pomegranate rind, of saffron, of crocomagma, of each, dr. vj, in wine.
The preparation of the crocomagma. Of saffron, oz. ij; of roses, of starch, of myrrh, of aloes, of frankincense, of gum, of each, oz. j; of costus, of spikenard, of each, dr. j, in wine. In the prescription for oil of saffron another mode of preparing crocomagma is described.
The trochisk Nerè, from the works of Hera. Of myrrh, of aloes, of saffron, of each, dr. viij; of fissile alum, dr. c. Mix with water.
The sigillum of Polyides. Of fissile alum, dr. iij; of frankincense, dr. iv; of myrrh, dr. viij; of copperas (chalcanthum?), dr. ij; of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, dr. xij; of the gall of bulls, dr. vj (others use dr. xvj); of aloes, oz. j. Mix with austere wine.
The trochisk of Pasion. Of squama æris, dr. xij; of burnt copper, of sal ammoniac, of round alum, of scraped verdigris, of frankincense, of each, dr. viij; of wine, q. s.
The trochisk Andronius. Of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, dr. x; of myrrh, dr. iv; of galls, dr. viij; of round birthwort, dr. iv; of copperas, of saffron, of fissile alum, of crocomagma, of misy, of frankincense, of each, dr. ij. Triturate with astringent wine or vinegar.
The trochisk of Faustinus. Of arsenic, dr. xij; of sandarach, dr. vj; of quicklime, dr. viij; of burnt paper, dr. j. Mix with the juice or decoction of myrtles; make into trochisks, and inject along with the decoction of myrtles, of lentils, and of the roots of bramble.
The trochisk from paper. Of burnt paper, lb. ij; of quicklime, of arsenic, of sandarach, of each, oz. j. Mix with the juice of plantain.
The trochisk called Thronus Marcellius. Of burnt paper, dr. x; of sandarach, of arsenic, of squama æris, of fissile alum, of each, dr. iv; of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, dr. iij; of opium, dr. ij; of quicklime, dr. iij; of omphacium, dr. j; of the juice of hypocistis, dr. iij. Mix with myrtle wine, and form troches of four drachms each. When you have boiled the pomegranate rind, myrtles, and roses to a third part, give one trochisk, or simply dr. iv to six cyathi of wine.
The trochisk from cork. Of burnt galls, of burnt paper, of burnt cork, of burnt bread, of each, dr. xv. In another prescription there is added of burnt hartshorn, dr. xv; of arsenic, dr. ij; of sandarach, of quicklime, of each, dr. xv; of acacia, of ceruse, of each, dr. v; of litharge, dr. iij. Triturate in wine.
The trochisk Bithynus. Of pomegranate rind, dr. x; of calamine, oz. iij; of birthwort, of galls, of the root of all-heal, of iris, of copperas, of fissile alum, of chalcitis, of misy, of squama æris, of manna (and some also of costus), of each, oz. iss. Mix with vinegar.
The trochisk from castor, for ulcers, spreading sores, and defluxions. Of saffron, of aloes, of frankincense, of each, oz. j; of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, of fissile alum, of castor, of manna, of scraped verdigris, of each, oz. j; of sinopic vermilion, lb. j. Mix with old wine.
The trochisk from castor, for colics. Of myrrh, of castor, of each, scr. vj; of saffron, of opium, of each, scr. ix; of anise, of parsley seed, of carrot seed, of each, oz. ss; of the seed of henbane, scr. xviij.
The trochisk from wine and oil, for the fundament and pudendum. Of ceruse, oz. x; of litharge, oz. v; of frankincense, of the dross of lead, of fissile alum, of each, oz. ij. Triturate with wine that does not contain salt water. At the time of using it, mix with wine and rose oil, or wine and myrtle oil.
The trochisk from Phrygian stone, for the pudenda. Take three Phrygian stones burnt and extinguished, and mix the first with butter or rose oil; the second with wine; and the third with honey, to the extent of oz. ij; add, of the flower of roses, oz. iv; of pomegranate rind, oz. j.
The trochisk from lotaria to the fundament and pudendum. Of ceruse, of starch, of glaucium, of saffron, of alum, equal parts. Triturate with the juice of lotaria or wine.
The white trochisk. Of terra aster, oz. iv; of pompholyx, of ceruse, of starch, of each, oz. ij; of opium, scr. iv. Mix with water.
The trochisk from halicacabus, or winter cherry. Of litharge, dr. xxiv; of ceruse, dr. xij or xxj; of winter cherry, dr. viij; of copperas (chalcanthum), dr. iv; of fissile alum, dr. iv; of vermilion enough to give it colour. Mix with water.
The trochisk from the two hellebores, and also from the two acacias. Of the black and of the yellow acacia, of artificer’s glue (in another prescription of fish-glue), of each, oz. iv; of ammoniac perfume, of glaucium, of aloes, of each, oz. ij; of male frankincense, of black and of white hellebore, of each, oz. j. Mix with vinegar of squills, and at the time of using it dissolve either in the same or in common vinegar, and anoint before and after the bath.
The trochisk Criogenes. Of myrrh, of burnt copper, of round birthwort, of scraped verdigris, of the squama stomomatis, of the straight vervain, of round alum, of each, oz. j; of vinegar, q. s. The vervain is to be gathered when the sun is in Aries. It may be made into a plaster thus: take of the trochisk, of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of oil, equal parts; of vinegar what will be sufficient for the trituration of the trochisk.
The trochisk melanchlorus, or black-coloured. Of myrrh, of aloes, of burnt squama æris, of arsenic, of fissile alum, and of round alum, of iris, of chalcitis, of misy, of fossil salt, of copperas, of ceruse, of natron, of litharge, of the root of all-heal, of calamine, of pomegranate rind, of galls, of round birthwort, of the squama stomomatis, of scraped verdigris, of each, oz. j; of vinegar, q. s. It is formed into a plaster thus: of the trochisk, oz. ij; of Colophonian rosin, of wax, of oil, of each, oz. vj; of vinegar, what will be sufficient for the trituration of the trochisk.
The trochisk pantolmius, for chironian and malignant ulcers, and for discharges. Of cassia, of burnt copper, of ceruse, of litharge, of scraped verdigris, of fissile alum, and of round, and of liquid, and of the plinthitic alum, of the root of all-heal, of the long and of the round birthwort, of pomegranate rind, of copperas, of purslain, of the iris called astragalitis, of chalcitis, of misy, of ammoniac perfume, of sal ammoniac, of verdigris, of iron, of squama æris, of aloes, of diphryges, of frankincense, of galls, of sarcocolla, of burnt lead, of olive leaves, of sori, of myrrh, of liquid melanteria, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of the Egyptian thorn, of sulphur which has not been touched with the fire, of natron, of red sumach, of Syriac sumach, of chrysocolla, of elm-leaved sumach (rus coriaria), of acacia, of the spuma salis, of omphacium, of arsenic, equal parts. Triturate during the heat of the dog-days with vinegar for thirty days.
The trochisk of Nymphodotus. Of aphronitrum, oz. j; of Alexandrian natron, of Gallic soap, of each, oz. j; of Cappadocian salt, of mastich, of galls, of each, dr. iv; of rose leaves, of amomum, of starch, of each, oz. j; of Indian leaf, dr. j; of fissile alum, of costus, of each, dr. ij; of myrtle wine, q. s.
The trochisk from thapsia, for hemicrania. Of the juice of thapsia (deadly carrot), dr. xvj; of myrrh, dr. viij; of opoponax, of euphorbium, of each, dr. vj; of natron, of the Parthic juice, of each, dr. iv; of pepper, of sagapen, of each, dr. ij; of vinegar, q. s. In using it, rub it in with vinegar, and after six hours wash it off. If you wish to use in a reduced state, mix with equal parts of cerate, and spread it, allowing it to remain for a day and a night.
The trochisk called subdititious, for dysentery and pains of the anus. Of terra aster, of starch, of each, oz. iij; of saffron, oz. ij; of acacia, of tragacanth, of each. oz. j; of castor, of frankincense, of buckthorn, of each, oz. ss; and in hotter temperaments, also, of opium, oz. ss; mix with the juice of fleawort, and form into oblong trochisks.
Commentary. Celsus informs us that they are the same as the pastilli of the Latins. He thus describes their general properties: “Pastilli hæc ratio est: arida medicamenta contrita humore non pingui, ut vino vel aceto, coguntur, et rursus coacta inarescunt, atque, ubi utendum est, ejusdem generis humore diluuntur.” He gives prescriptions for six trochisks. (v, 20.)
Galen remarks that trochisks derive their name from their spherical shape. He treats of them at great length in the fifth book of his work ‘De Comp. Med. sec. gen.’ Many of our author’s receipts are copied from him.
For an account of the Arabian trochisks, see in particular Serapion (vii, 18); Haly Abbas (Pract. x, 14); and Mesue (i, 8.) The following is Mesue’s formula for the trochisks of camphor: “The trochisks of camphor, for ardent fevers, heat of the blood and bile, warm intemperament of the liver, insatiable thirst, jaundice, consumption, and hectics.—℞ Of rose leaves dr. iv; of spodium, of liquorice āā, dr. ij; of yellow saunders, dr. iiss; of the seeds of citrons, melons, cucumbers, and gourds, of saffron, of tragacanth, of gum, of spikenard, āā dr. j; of lignum aloes, of cardomum, of starch, of camphor, āā dr. j; of white sugar, of manna, āā dr. iij. Mix with the mucilage of fleawort and water of roses.” Myrepsus’s formula for the same is little different. He describes the composition of 136 pastils.
Moses Charras gives the following account of trochisks: “They are also called pastils, rolls, cakes, and lozenges. Trochisks were invented as well to preserve a long time the virtue of certain medicaments as to unite together the virtue of several. To which purpose having finely powdered the ingredients, which are to be powdered, they are to be incorporated with some juice, syrup, or other viscous liquor, to make therewith a solid paste, out of which are formed little trochisks, flat, round, triangular, square, long, or otherwise, which being spread upon paper, and dried out of the sun, and at a distance from the fire, to the end they may be dried in all parts alike, may be put up in boxes or pots for use.” (Royal Phar. ii, 21.)
Troches are pharmaceutical preparations still frequently used. According to the directions in the ‘Edinburgh Dispensatory,’ “they are composed of powders made up with glutinous substances into small cakes, and afterwards dried.” There is this difference, however, between the troches of the moderns and the trochisci of the ancients, that all the former are given internally, whereas many of the ancient trochisci were used as external applications. Of this description are five out of the six pastilli described by Celsus. Le Clerc says of them: “Ils differoient des emplâtres, et des collyres, en ce qu’il n’entroit aucune matière huileuse dans les trochisques et qu’ils servoient pour le dedans aussi bien que pour le dehors.” (Hist. de la Méd.)
Of dry applications or powders, some suit with ulcers, and some are applied to the skin. Of those which suit with ulcers, some act as incarnants of hollow ulcers, and some restrain fungous flesh, and some are cicatrizing, some caustic and septic, and some styptic. The incarnative applications act either by cleansing foul ulcers, such as those from tares, birthwort, iris, all-heal, myrrh, frankincense, and aloes; or by drying the superabundant discharge, as those from copper, diphryges, squama æris, burnt paper, the bark of pine and thorn. But these promote cicatrization, either by blunting acrimony and pungency, such as those from pompholyx, starch, ceruse, sphecla (impure potass), the lapis specularis, burnt oysters, terra Samia, and the like, and the compositions from them possess similar powers. Of repressing medicines, some are mild, such as those from squama æris, those from misy and chalcitis, when burnt, and galls; but those from copperas, verdigris, misy, and chalcitis, not burnt, are stronger. The caustics and septics are prepared from quicklime, arsenic, sandarach, and sphecla, which is the burnt lees of wine. All these things when reduced to a fine powder and sprinkled upon ulcers, are less pungent. The coarser the powder to which they are reduced, the more pungent are they. Styptics restrain bleeding, either by astringing or cooling, or proving desiccative or obstruent by burning and forming an eschar; and the materials of them have been mentioned in the section on Trochisks. Of those which are applied to the skin, some cleanse and absterge, such as those from Cimolian earth, pumice, bean-meal, barley-leaven, the flesh of pompions, and the flower of salt; some are attenuant and discutient, such as those from hellebore, alcyonium, sulphur, stavesacre, mustard, pellitory, the seed of the rosemary, lemnitis, or adarce, and the shell of the cuttle-fish. But those having quicklime and arsenic added to them, with some liquid, become depilatory and abstergent. Some are applied to the head in order to dry up the discharge from it, such as those from natron, salts, galls, the rind of pomegranate, and the like. All the smegmata or abstergents should be applied to the skin when it is not anointed.
The dry cephalic application. Of tares, oz. v; of iris, oz. iss; of manna, oz. iss; of birthwort, of squama æris, of each, oz. iss.
Another. Of the bark of pine, dr. vj; of frankincense, dr. iv; of pumice-stone, dr. iv; of iris, dr. ij; of dry rosin, dr. vj; of birthwort, dr. ij.
From aloes. Of aloes, dr. vj; of tares, dr. viij; of manna, dr. iv; of galls, dr. iij; of fissile alum, dr. ij.
The dry application of Manetho from the burnt lees of wine. Of calamine, burnt and washed, oz. j; of terra aster, oz. j; of burnt lees of wine, oz. iv; of lapis specularis, oz. iv; of frankincense, oz. iv; some add, also, of starch, oz. iv.
The melitera of Oribasius. Of chalcitis, of squama æris, of galls, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of long birthwort, of each, oz. j; of pomegranate rind, of fissile alum, of each, oz. ss.
From oysters. Of calamine, of frankincense, of each, oz. j; of oysters burnt, oz. iij.
The powder from frankincense. Of litharge, of frankincense, of calamine, of ceruse, equal parts.
The powder called aphroditarium. Of frankincense, of squama æris, of rhœdarium (a preparation from sumach), of starch, of ceruse, equal parts.
The Rhodian styptic for spreading ulcers and fungous flesh. Of unripe galls, dr. vj; of galls burnt, and extinguished in wine and dried, dr. xij; of the black squama æris, or, if not, of the red, dr. viij; of copperas, dr. xxiv; of fissile alum, dr. xxvij; triturate for a sufficient number of days.
The powder called flavus. Of burnt chalcitis, dr. xl; of burnt copperas, dr. viij; of burnt misy, dr. x; of burnt copper, dr. v.
The powder called psarus. Of misy, oz. v; of galls, oz. iv; of chalcitis, oz. ij; of squama æris, oz. ij; of copperas, oz. j; of scraped verdigris, oz. ij.
The caustic powder called heliocaes. Of arsenic, lb. j; of calx viva, lb. ij. Triturate with water during the dog-days, then dry and use.
The florid powder. Of cyperus, dr. viij; of myrrh, dr. xij; of sandarach, dr. iij; of the flowers of roses, dr. ij; of saffron, dr. ij; of crocomagma, of fissile alum, of Illyrian iris, of each, dr. ij.
The powder from paper, principally for spreading ulcers of the mouth and those of the pudendum. Of squama æris, of burnt paper, of each, dr. viij; of arsenic, of sulphur vivum, of each, dr. xij; of burnt lead, dr. vj. For the more humid mortifications use it dry, but for such as are dry mix it with rose-oil, and sometimes with honey along with rose-oil.
The powder from butcher’s broom (oxymyrsine), for the same purposes. Of elm-leaved sumach, oz. ij; of the leaves of butcher’s broom, of sandarach, of each, dr. viij; of the dried leaves of willow, of pomegranate rind, of each, dr. vj; of fissile alum, of chrysocolla, of aloes, of crude chalcitis, of squama æris, of arsenic, of common salts, of each, dr. iv.
The powder of Massaliotes. Of roasted natron, of chrysocolla, of Asian stone, of sandarach, of misy, of chalcitis, of fissile alum, of diphryges, equal parts. Use dry.
The dry abstergent application (smegma) called the Æsculapian. Of bay berries, of Alexandrian natron, of roasted salt, of Cappadocian salt, of ammoniac perfume, of aphronitrum, of pumice-stone, of each, lb. j; of black hellebore, of fuller’s herb, of pellitory, of the burnt lees of wine, of stavesacre, of mustard, of cyperus, of fissile alum, of the schœnanth, of iris, of galls, of each, oz. vj; of sampsuchum (a species of marjoram), lb. j; of the seed of the chaste tree, of pennyroyal, of the flour of beans and of lupines, of each, oz. vj; of the black chamæleon, of sulphur, of gum, of frankincense, of pepper, of the root of the wild cucumber, of horehound, of Cimolian earth, of pæony, of the shell of the cuttle-fish, of the leaf of fenugreek, of costus, of cumin, of euphorbium, of spikenard, of each, oz. iij. But Alexander adds the following things: of bitter salts, of salts from nitrous fountains, of Tragesæan salt (“see Plin. xxxi, 61”), of each, lb. j; of adarce, oz. j; of liquid alum, of Celtic, of cnicus, of granum Cnidium, of dried grass, of dried bryony, of each, oz. iij.
The abstergent application from pompions (smegma peponaton). Of frankincense, of mastich, of ammoniac perfume, of each, oz. j; of tragacanth, oz. iss; of the juice of wild grape, oz. ix; of the fresh seed of pompion, oz. iij; of similago, sext. v; the whites of xxi eggs, of iris, oz. iv. Some also use of black hellebore, oz. ij.
Otherwise, that of Crito. Of bean meal, one modius; of similago, sext. iv; of trefoil, of nutben, of Illyrian iris, of each, lb. iv; of ammoniac perfume, lb. j; of costus, lb. j; the whites of seven eggs, of the flesh of pompions, sext. ij; of the juice of unripe grape, sext. ij. Mix, and having formed trochisks, dry, then having pounded and strained, use.
Otherwise. Of tragacanth, of frankincense, of mastich, of ammoniac perfume, of each, dr. x; of the juice of unripe grape, dr. v; of similago, sext. v; of the white of an egg, oz. j; of the flesh of pompions, oz. j. Prepare as above described.
A desiccative smegma for defluxions of the head. Of the tawny-coloured Alexandrian natron, oz. v; of common salts, roasted, oz. iss; of Cappadocian salts, oz. j. Having mixed these with the strongest vinegar, put into a linen bag, and burn in a furnace until it be reduced to cinders. Then having cooled it, rub with it triturated, adding a little wine in the bath.
The soap of Constantine. Of dried roses, of aloes, of galls, of pomegranate rind, of Indian leaf, of sarcocolla, of each, oz. iij; of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of myrrh, of sandarach, of spikenard, of each, oz. ij; of costus, oz. j; of Gallic soap, lb. j. Mix with the decoction of lupines.
The depilatory powder for the gout. Of mastich, of male frankincense, of stavesacre, of white hellebore, of litharge, of each, oz. iij; of Indian leaf, of starch, of black hellebore, of the flower of Asian stone, of each, oz. j; of alcyonium, of roasted pumice-stone, of Cimolian earth, of sampsuch (marjoram), of each, oz. iij; of spikenard, oz. j; some also add of aloes, oz. j. Having pounded them, keep the powder in a vessel; and when going to use it, put the juice of rice and of ptisan in a pot, and after it boils add of the powder, oz. iss; of Gallic soap, oz. iss; of arsenic, of fissile alum, of each, oz. iss; of sandarach, oz. iss; of recent quicklime, lb. j. Use this unguent thrice a month, on the 9th day of the moon, the 19th, and the 29th, for a whole year, and afterwards once a month on the 29th day of the moon.
Commentary. The terms are thus explained by Blancard: “Diapasma. Plinio, medicamentum aridum ex siccis pulveribus conflatum inspersile, quod aut vestibus ad gratiam odoris, aut ulceri vulnerique variâ ratione, aut potui etiam ad luxum inspergitur, διάπασμα, κατάπασμα, κατάπαστον φάρμακον. Oribasius non malè discrimen inter has voces ex Antyllo ponere mihi videtur ut ἐμπάσματα sint, quæ sudoribus cohibendis, et commovendo pruritui adhibentur: quæ Sympasmata et aspergines Aurelianus nominat: καταπάσματα sunt quæ ulceribus superponuntur, ξήρια etiam dicta: διαπάσματα vero conciliandæ in vento fragrantiæ.” (Lexicon Medicum.) The different forms of medicines are thus characterized by Dr. Blomfield: “Quatuor sunt φαρμάκων genera, quorum principuè mentio fit apud auctores Græcos: φάρμακα χριστὰ, παστὰ, πλαστὰ, et πιστὰ vel πότιμα, quibus interdum additur quintum genus, τὰ βρώσίμα, et sextum ἐπωδὰι, prout eis ad unguendum, inspergendum, emplastro obtegendum, bibendum, edendum, vel incantandum utebantur.” (Glossarium ad Æschyli Prometh. l. 488.) Theocritus uses the word ἐπίπαστον in its medical sense. (Idyll. xi, 2.) He says, no medicine, either in the form of ointment or powder, is a remedy for love. Le Clerc thus explains the medicines of which we are treating: “Les poudres s’appelloient en Grec ξήρια ὀυ ξηρὰ c’est à dire, médicamens secs. On les appelloit Diapasmata, Catapasmata, Catapasta, Sympasmata.” He says of the Smegma: “On s’en servoit particulièrement pour nettoyer le peau, pour ôter le démangeaison, &c.” He adds: “Lorsque il s’agissoit de faire tomber le poil on prenoit des matières encore plus fortes et plus acres que celles qu’on a indiquées, comme de l’orpiment, de la sandaraque, de la chaux vive, et l’on les détrempoit avec les sucs. En ces cas on donnoit à cette composition le nom particulière de psilothrum ou dépilatoire.” (Hist. de la Méd.) On the meaning of the terms see, further, Eustathius (ap. Iliad, iv); Scholiast. Aristoph. (Plaat); and Gataker’s Antoninus (v, 9.)
Celsus gives the following general description of these medicines: “Quædam autem mixturæ medicamentorum sunt quibus aridis neque coactis utimur, sic ut inspergamus, aut cum aliquo liquido mixta illinamus.” The powder of gollas, if prepared according to his directions, would consist of potass, sulphur, quicklime, and orpiment. His ninth preparation of this class is a sternutatory, and the tenth is one for making a gargle. (v, 22.)
Most of our author’s formulæ are borrowed, with a few alterations, from Galen. (De Med. sec. gen. v.)
For a description of the Arabian Pulveres, see, in particular, Haly Abbas (Pract. x, 16,) and Mesue, (i, ix.) Many of Mesue’s compositions are internal medicines, consisting principally of aromatics. Thus, his first preparation, which is intended to dry humidity of the stomach, dispel flatulence, and assist digestion, consists of lignum aloes, oz. ss; of galls, dr. iss; and of white sugar, oz. iss.
Nicolaus Myrepsus, in his copious ‘Dispensatory,’ describes the composition of 50 smegmata and 143 pulveres. The far greater number of the former are intended as applications to the skin in diseases thereof, such as impetigo, leprosy, itch, and the like. The pulveres consist of applications to the skin, sternutatories, gargles, and injections. None of them, we believe, are to be taken inwardly.
As much as the coat which lines the mouth is finer and softer than the skin, such a difference must there be with regard to the applications made to the mouth. At the commencement, therefore, of inflammation, medicines for repelling the defluxion are required, such as the dry applications, namely, omphacium, the gall omphacitis, the juice of sumach and of hypocistis, and alum, the bark of pine and of the frankincense-tree, and the flowers of the wild pomegranate tree; and, in a word, all the astringents, with the exception of those which are unsavoury and deleterious; and the liquid applications, such as the juice of the blackberries, both of the brambles and those called mulberries: also the juice of the bark of green walnuts and of pomegranates, more especially such as are acid, and of quinces and Aminean must. Honey is mixed at the commencement solely for the preservation of the medicines. But when the humour lodges in the part, digestive and moderately-repellent articles are to be mixed, such as saffron, myrrh, and the juice of liquorice. And during the whole time that intervenes between the acme and decline, a compound of both kinds is to be used, I mean, the repellent and discutient; and at first the repellent are to be the prevailing ingredients, but afterwards the discutient. In the decline we must use discutients, which have no astringency, such as natron, aphronitrum, origany, hyssop, thyme, calamint, iris, besasa and the like. The liquid application then should be rob, that from boiled must, that from dried figs and palm-nuts, and the sweet must itself with honey. When but a little of the inflammation remains, we are to mix also some sulphur vivum. We must first boil the juice with honey, to the consistence of the more liquid honey, and then sprinkle the powders finely levigated, and afterwards boil moderately until the whole are properly united, and then it is to be laid up in vessels of glass.
The simple liniment to the mouth from mulberries. Of the juice of mulberries, sext. iij; boil until a third part be consumed, add of honey, sext. j, and boil to the consistence of honey.
The compound one from mulberries. Of the juice of mulberries, hemin. vj; boil to the consistence of the sordes in baths, then mix, well triturated, of saffron, dr. j; of myrrh, dr. ij; of the juice of unripe grape, dr. j; of fissile alum, three oboli; of honey, one hemina; and boil to a proper thickness.
Of the bramble-berries. The composition from bramble-berries is prepared in like manner, being more astringent.
The simple one from walnuts. Of the juice of the pounded bark of green walnuts, hemin. v; of honey, hemin. j; it is boiled like that from mulberries.
The compound one from walnuts. In the commencement, and at the acme of inflammations in the mouth, mix of saffron and of alum, of each, oz. j; of myrrh, dr. ij; and in the decline add, as a discutient, of natron, dr. j; of sulphur, dr. j, to the aforementioned proportions of the juice and of honey.
The preparation from the juice of pomegranates. Of the juice of sweet pomegranates, without their kernels, sext. iv; of the juice of acid pomegranates, sext. ij; of honey, sext. j; of the Minnæan myrrh, dr. viij; of crocomagma, of galls, of each, dr. viij; of fissile alum, dr. iv; of Illyrian iris and of omphacium, of each, dr. viij. Prepare like that from mulberries.
The same otherwise. Of the juice of sweet pomegranate bruised with their kernels, sext. vj; of fine honey, sext. j; of fissile alum, oz. j; of myrrh, oz. ss.
The preparation from must. Of must, sext. vj; of galls, of fissile alum, of each dr. ij; of saffron, of myrrh, of each, dr. j. If you mean it for a demulcent, let the must be sweet, but if as a repellent, austere. The middle state has intermediate properties.
The Egyptian stomachic. Of honey, lb. j; of oil, oz. viij; of turpentine, oz. ij; of saffron, dr. iv. They are melted in a double vessel.
The stomachic medicine, from besasa. Of anise seed, of parsley seed, of the schœnanth, of the seed of bishop’s weed, of fissile alum, of Illyrian iris, of besasa (which some call harmala, it is the wild rue), of cinnamon, of troglodytic myrrh, of saffron, of gall, of each, oz. j; of long birthwort, of cassia, of crocomagma, of dried roses, of each, oz. j; of costus, of the fresh ashes of pigeons, oz. iij; of Indian nard, of amomum, of each, oz. ss; of honey, q. s.
Commentary. Celsus thus sums up the general properties of these preparations: “Gargarizationes autem aut lævandi causa fiunt, aut reprimendi, aut evocandi. Lævant, lac, cremor vel ptisanæ, vel furfurum: reprimit aqua, in qua vel lenticula, vel rosa, vel rubus, vel cotoneum malum, vel palmulæ decoctæ sunt: evocant, sinapi, piper.” (v, 22.)
Galen treats of these compositions very systematically, and at great length, in the sixth book of his work, ‘De Comp. Med. sec. loc.’ The far greater number of our author’s prescriptions are copied from it. Myrepsus likewise gives a long list of such like compositions (§ ix.) See also Aëtius (viii.)
Of delicious officinal potions, some are composed of wine, having certain articles added to it, such as pepper, wormwood, sowbread, and many other things, from which they sometimes receive their appellation, sometimes having honey mixed with them and sometimes not; and some are composed from water in which have been boiled apples or roses, with certain juices, such as those of unripe grapes, pomegranates, and myrtles.
On this account the finest scummed honey is mixed with them for the sake of preservation, sweetness, and sometimes of utility. The austere and vinous hydromel brought from Cebyra in small vessels is an exception; for I have known it formed without honey, as the apomel is made from honey alone and water, without any other substance. But those things which are prepared from wine, which are called propotions (or “whets”?) receive sext. j of scummed honey to four of wine and are made without being boiled. Those which are prepared from water and juices, if boiled, receive one part of honey to three of the liquor, about two parts of which are consumed in the boiling; but if they are not boiled they receive one part of honey to two of the liquor. Those things which are not boiled are to be isolated for a sufficient time, and particularly the omphacomel. Those from water require to be boiled, because from their weakness they are readily changed. They are all to be laid up in small pitched earthen vessels, which are to be carefully covered up and deposited in situations above ground until they are concocted. They are to be used as attenuants, and well mixed with water. But the omphacomel after being boiled like must, and settling, is to be covered up. Those composed from wine we use principally in cases which are free from fever, or for the relish only (with the exception of those which are prepared from scammony, the granum Cnidium, or the like purgatives); or in such affections as when we would use the medicines which are the ingredients of them by the mouth. Those prepared from water, or the juices we use in febrile cases, or as sweeteners, when the disease does not admit the use of wines, and sometimes as agreeing with the affections, as apomel for a sialogogue, diuretic, laxative of the bowels, or attenuant of humours; and hydromelon and hydrorosaton in cases of thirst, ardent fevers, resolutions, and derangements of the stomach; and omphacomel, myrteton, rhodostacton, and rhoita, in cæliac and dysenteric cases, and for vomitings and other defluxions. They are frequently used as washes in affections of the mouth.
The hydromelum from the juice of apples. Of the juice of clean quinces bruised, sext. ij; of honey, sext. iij; of water, sext. vj. Boil, scumming it until it be reduced to a third part. Another.—Of clean quinces cut into pieces, lb. v. Boil in sext. j of well-water until they become soft. Then removing them from the fire, after they become cold, strain, and having filtrated the apples throw them away. Having measured the water, mix with it half the quantity of honey, and boil again, scumming it until the eighth part be consumed. Some compose the hydromelum in like manner from sweet apples.
The composition of the hydrorosatum. Of roses deprived of their nails (the white parts of the leaves), lb. iv; of water, sext. v; of honey, sext. ij.
The preparation of the Rhodomelum. Of the juice of quinces, sext. j; of roses, lb. iij; of honey, sext. iij; of water, sext. v. But since the apples are not found at the same season with the roses, these are to be added to honey at the proper season, and when the apples appear, the composition is to be completed.
The preparation of the omphacomel. Of the juice of unripe grapes, sext. iij; of honey, sext. j. Having mixed, expose it to the sun for forty days, or boil.
The preparation of Myrteta. Of the juice of myrtles, sext. iij; of honey, sext. j. Boil till the third is consumed.
Apomel from the works of Phalagrius. Of white honeycombs filled with honey, lb. j; of spring water, lb. iiiss; having broken down the comb and united them, boil the water with the honey until the scum of it and the waxy part swim on the top and is separated, then cool and cover it up carefully.
The composition of rhodostactum. Of the juice of roses without their nails, sext. ij; of honey, sext. j. Boil, scumming it, until the fourth part be consumed.
The preparation of rhætes. Of the juice of pomegranate, sext. iij; of honey, sext. j. Boil to a third part.
Commentary. We shall in the first place give some account of the Propoma. It was a draught generally containing wine, which was taken at the commencement of the supper, or principal meal of the ancients. Horace alludes to it in the following lines: