Nicander is the _Coluber Ægyptius_, and the E. Europæa the _C. Berus_.
The ἔχις, probably is the _C. Amodytes_. Dioscorides recommends vipers,
having their head and tail cut off, and the entrails taken out, boiled
with oil, wine, a little salts and dill, for nervous affections and
scrofula. He gives no credit, however, to the vulgar belief of his time,
that living upon vipers prolonged life, or that they prevented lice from
forming on the body. He describes distinctly the process of preparing
salts from vipers, but says they have not the same efficacy as the flesh.
(ii, 18.) The Arabians display much more credulity than Dioscorides, in
describing the medicinal virtues of vipers, ascribing to them wonderful
powers, not only of preserving life, but even of restoring youth. See in
particular, Avicenna (ii, 2, 608), and Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 731.)
Galen gives a very lengthened disquisition on the medicinal virtues
of vipers. (De Simpl. xi.) Aëtius abridges the same. (ii, 160.) See
Oribasius (Med. Collect. xv, 2.) We shall have occasion, however, to
treat further of the medicinal properties of the viper when describing
the composition of the theriac; and, instead of collecting the sentiments
of the ancient authorities on this head, we shall in this place merely
subjoin the opinion of a modern author, who appears to have been familiar
with the use of it: “The powder of vipers is very much enlivened with the
volatile salt wherewith the vipers abound, which enables it to force its
virtues through the pores, though never so close shut, to the more remote
parts of the body. It is a singular medicine to cure scabs, itches, and
erysipelas, and particularly the leprosy. It restores plumpness of
body to persons wasted with long agues and tedious diseases. It is to
be taken fasting, in broths, wine, or any other cordial liquor, or else
incorporated with some syrup, or in some confection like a bolus.” (Moses
Charras.) In Scotland the adder (which is a variety of the _Coluber
Berus_) is a popular remedy for malignant diseases of the skin. It is
taken in the form of soup, as described by Dioscorides. The viper broth
is described in Quince’s Dispensatory (400) in nearly the same terms as
by Dioscorides, and recommended “as doing good service in leprous and
other obstinate cutaneous complaints.”
Ἐχίνος,
Echinus; the herb is austere, repellent, and desiccant. Of the Land
Echinus, or _Hedgehog_, the flesh when strongly dried is discutient
and desiccant; when taken in a draught, therefore, it is beneficial in
elephantiasis, cachexia, and many other complaints. Its skin, when burnt,
becomes more desiccant and discutient. It therefore cures alopecia when
rubbed in with liquid pitch. Of the Sea Echinus, the edible part is
diuretic, and agrees with the bowels. Its shell, when burnt, resembles
that of the land echinus.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. The herb is not described by Dioscorides, Theophrastus, or
Pliny. It would appear to be the same as the _Erinus_, which see. The
Ἐ. χερσᾶιος is undoubtedly the _Hystrix Cristata_, and the Ἐ. θαλάττιος
the _Echinus Esculentus_. Dioscorides and Galen give the same account
of their medicinal properties as our author. Serapion, after giving the
description by Dioscorides and Galen, adds, from an Arabian authority,
that the flesh of the land echinus is beneficial in protracted fevers.
(De Simpl. 435.) Avicenna (ii, 2, 234,) treats of the two echini at
greater length than any other ancient author, recommending the flesh of
the land, in phthisis, dropsy, elephantia, scabies, scrofula, and other
complaints of a formidable nature. Upon the whole, however, his account
of it is mostly made up of extracts from Dioscorides and Galen. See in
like manner Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 273.) He recommends the land echinus
in the irretention of urine to which children are subject, adding that
when frequently administered, it brings on dysuria. He and Avicenna quote
Serapion as an authority for its use in protracted fevers. Both the
echini disappeared from our Dispensatory a considerable time ago.
Ἔχιον,
Echium, _Viper’s Bugloss_, (some call it also _Dorias_, and others
_Alcibiadium_,) is a prickly herb, which not only relieves those who have
been bitten by reptiles when drunk in wine, but, if taken beforehand, it
preserves them from being injured.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. It appears to us quite clear that this article is the _Echium
vulgare_ or Viper’s Bugloss, which we have no doubt was introduced
into Britain with other medicinal herbs by the Romans, for it is never
found remote from cultivated places, and therefore we believe it not to
be truly indigenous. Some have taken it for the _Echium rubrum_, from
Dioscorides having described the flowers as being _purplish_, whereas,
purplish signifies a bright blue, and not red as is supposed. Parkinson
thus describes the colour of the flowers of the _Echium vulgare_:
“The flowers are of a purplish violet colour, in them that are fully
blown, but more reddish while they are in bud; but in some places of
a paler purple colour,” &c. (p. 413.) We, then, have no hesitation in
acknowledging it as the _Echium vulgare_. Our author borrows his account
of its medicinal powers from Dioscorides. (iv, 27.) The Arabians would
seem to confound it with the Anchusæ, to which it is closely allied. Our
old herbalists, in treating of the viper’s bugloss, follow Dioscorides;
but it has long ceased to hold a place in our Dispensatory. It still,
however, is known in the shops, where its root retains the character of
being aperient and slightly astringent. See Gray (Suppl. to Pharmacop. p.
54.)
Ἕψημα ἢ σίραιον,
Defrutum, _Boiled Must_; it is moderately heating and digestive, and is
also emplastic and free from pungency.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Pliny gives the following account of it: “Siræum quod alii
hepsema, nostri sapam appellant, ingenii, non naturæ opus est, musto
usque ad tertiam partem mensuræ decocto: quod ubi factum ad dimidiam
est, defrutum vocamus.” (H. N. xiv, 11.) Harduin states that the Hepsema
is called _Rob_ or _Sapa semplex_. (l. c.) Moses Charras gives the
following directions for preparing it: “℞. Of the new juice of white
grapes perfectly ripe, lb. xxx; boil it over a gentle fire in an earthen
glazed vessel, or a copper vessel tinned within, until a third part of
the juice only remains. But if you desire a _defrutum_, boil it only to
the consumption of the third part.” (Roy. Phar. p. 70.) The following
prescription, taken from a still later writer, will further be useful
in illustrating the meaning of a term which often occurs in the course
of this work, but which has now fallen into disuse. “The Simple Rob
or Sapa. Take of juice newly expressed from generous and white grapes
any quantity, and boil it over a slow fire, until one pint of it only
remains out of three, or it becomes of a honey consistence.” Quincy’s
Dispensatory (432.) Few of the other authorities treat of this article at
all, and those that do, despatch their notice of it in few words. Thus,
for example, Avicenna says of rob, that it is expectorant, and hence it
is made an ingredient in the syrup of poppies; and that it is useful in
pain of the kidneys and bladder. (ii, 2, 570.)
Ζέια,
Far, _Spelt_, has powers like the kinds of wheat, holding an intermediate
place as to heating and cooling; it is also gently desiccative and
emplastic.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. This, as we have explained elsewhere (Vol. I, 123), is the
_Triticum Spelta_, to which our older herbalists give the names Greek
Wheat, Spelt Wheat, or Spelt Corn. That the _Zeia_ of the Greeks was
identical with the _Far_ of the Romans, is proved beyond all dispute from
a passage of Asclepiades preserved by Galen. (De Locis Affectis, ix.) The
term _spelta_ is derived from the latino-barbarous translations of the
Arabians. See Serapion (122), who quotes under this head the chapter of
Dioscorides on _tragus_, which was spelt deprived of its hull. The other
authorities say little of spelt as a medicine; but commend it highly as
an article of food. (See Vol. I, l. c.) Avicenna describes it by the name
of _harcoman_ (ii, 2, 323); and Rhases by that of _haratinam_ (Cont. l.
ult. i, 352.)
Ζιγγιβὲρ,
Zingiber, _Ginger_; its root is powerfully heating, but not on its first
application, as it contains some crude and thick juice, on which account
it readily becomes carious, but it preserves the heat.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Without doubt the _Amomum Zingiber_. Dioscorides after
describing the country of the ginger, and the characters of the best
kinds of it, states its medicinal powers to be heating, digestive, mildly
aperient of the bowels, and stomachic; and recommends it in nebulæ of
the cornea, and adds of it, that as an ingredient in antidotes and
otherwise it resembles pepper (ii, 189.) Galen writes very elaborately
in explanation of the action of ginger on the animal frame; and, in
accounting for the difference between it and pepper and other articles of
the same class practically, his conclusions regarding it are the same as
our author’s. Aëtius and Oribasius copy from him. Serapion, after quoting
the opinions of Dioscorides and Galen, gives a very sensible account of
the virtues of ginger from Mesue and another unknown authority. Mesue
says it is beneficial in obstructions of the liver, arising from coldness
and humidity; that it softens the belly, heats the stomach and the whole
body; promotes digestion; is alexipharmic and aphrodisiacal; removes
phlegm (water brash?) and is beneficial in obscurity of vision. The
unknown authority says it improves the memory, and removes the humidity
in the stomach, arising from the eating of fruit, such as melons and the
like (De Simpl. 336.) In the works of Mesue, now extant, ginger is not
treated of. Rhases gives very interesting extracts from Dioscorides,
Galen, and various Arabian authors. Of the latter, one says of ginger,
that it softens the belly, and another that it binds it. (Cont. l. ult.
i, 762.) Avicenna quotes Dioscorides as stating that it is aperient, and
Alcanzi as holding that it is astringent. He agrees with the latter, that
ginger binds the bowels, when their loose state arises from indigestion
and viscid humours. He agrees also with the other authorities, that it is
stomachic and aphrodisiac. (ii, 2, 735.)
Ζύθος,
Zythus, _Ale_, is of a compound nature; for it is acrid, as being formed
by a putrefaction (“fermentation?”), and cold, as being possessed of an
acid quality. It therefore produces bad chyle.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. The plan of our present work prohibits us from entering
into an exposition of the general literature of this subject, but we
think this the less necessary as in another work, to which we have often
referred in this part of our Commentary, we have given an elaborate
disquisition on the ancient Ales, into which we have condensed all the
information which we could procure respecting them. We would also beg
leave to refer to Gruner’s learned annotations on Zozimus Panopolita (De
Zythorum Compositione); to Ludovicus Nonnius (De re Cibaria, iv, 15);
Eustathius (Comment. in Iliad. xiii, 640); and Athenæus (Deipnos. x, 67,
ed. Schweigh.) Our proper business now is to state the opinions of the
medical authorities with regard to their medicinal powers. Dioscorides
mentions two kinds of ale or beer, in his Mat. Med., both of them
prepared from barley, but does not state wherein the difference between
them consisted. The Zythus, he says, is diuretic, apt to affect the
kidneys and nerves; peculiarly calculated to prove prejudicial to the
membranes of the brain; is flatulent; engenders depraved humours, and
occasions elephantiasis. Of the Courmi, he also says, that it occasions
headache, forms bad humours, and is hurtful to the nerves; he adds,
that drinks of this nature are also formed from wheat, in Spain and
Britain (ii, 109, 110.) See further, Pliny (H. N. xxii, 82.) Aëtius,
Oribasius, and our author, copy almost verbatim from Galen. Rhases
treats of the Zythus, by the name of _foca_, first quoting the chapter
of Dioscorides on the Zythus, and then adding, upon the authority of
an Arabian writer, Bimasuy (Mesue the elder?), that ale prepared from
barley, cloves, and rue, is prejudicial to the head; but that prepared
from fine bread (similago?) mint, and parsley, forms good chyle, and
is good for the stomach (Cont. l. ult. i, 306.) Avicenna’s account of
Zythus, which he also describes by the name of _foca_, is entirely made
up of extracts from Dioscorides and Rhases. (ii, 2, 272.) Serapion, as
far as we can discover, does not treat of this article. A liquor is
treated of pretty copiously by Symeon Seth, under the head of _Fucas_,
which, as his editors remark, is probably a corruption of Posca. In his
account of it, he introduces a short sentence from Dioscorides’s chapter
on Zythus, to the effect that “ivory steeped in it becomes as ductile
as wax.” It was not, strictly speaking, an ale or beer, being merely
a mixture of vinegar and water, rendered more agreeable to the palate
by some aromatics. See Harduin ad Plinii (H. N. xix, 29.) Respecting
this beverage Seth states, as his own opinion, that it is wholesome,
especially when used by persons of a hot temperature of stomach; that it
quenches thirst; whets the appetite; increases the alvine and frequently
the renal discharge.
Ζύμη,
Fermentum, _Leaven_; it also is composed of opposite ingredients; for it
is possessed of a cold acidity and putrefactive (“fermentative?”) heat,
and moreover of salts and flour. It is, therefore, heating and discutient
in no ordinary degree.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. On the ancient modes of preparing Fermentum or Leaven,
see ‘Geopon.’ (ii, 31); and Pliny (H. N. xviii, 26.) The kind in most
common use was prepared from millet and must, or the fresh juice of the
grape. Our author’s description of its medicinal powers is taken from
Galen. Aëtius treats of it in nearly the same words. Dioscorides praises
the leaven of wheat as being heating and epispastic, and suiting with
complaints of the heels, phymata, and furunculi. (ii, 107.) Serapion
under this head gives two extracts from Dioscorides and Galen, followed
by one from Abenmesuai (the elder Mesue?), who recommends it in the
fevers of children for quenching thirst. (De Simpl. 29.) Rhases gives a
formula for a draught to be prepared from leaven, which he in like manner
praises as being wonderfully efficacious in the fevers of children.
(Cont. l. ult. i, 306.)
Ζωμὸς,
Jusculum, _Broth_, loosens the belly if drunk by itself or with wine,
when made from fresh fish; but particularly that which is simply prepared
from hakes, scorpion-fishes, rainbows, perches, and other tender fishes
which dwell among rocks, with water, oil, dill, and salts. In like
manner, also, the broth of the Crustacea, especially of the Tellinæ
(limpets), the Chamæ (cockles), and Conchylæ (oysters). The broth of an
old cock, boiled with salt to a great degree, is laxative; but that of a
hen, on the other hand, is astringent.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. The account here given of the broth of fishes is taken from
Dioscorides (ii, 35.) Galen directs the broth of fish to be prepared in
the following manner: first pour in plenty of water, then add of oil _q.
s._ with a little dill and leek; then, when the fish are half boiled,
sprinkle a little salt. (De Alim. Facult. iii); (Meth. Med. ix.) Apicius
in the tenth chapter of his work, gives fourteen different receipts for
preparing soups from fishes. Most of them contain wine, honey, vinegar,
and oil, with pepper, lovage, cumin, rue, &c., among the ingredients
which enter into their composition. On the fishes mentioned under this
head, see Book I (90.) The Arabians generally condense the substance of
Dioscorides’s two chapters on Garum and Jus into one, under the title
of _Muria_. See Serapion (184), and Avicenna (ii, 2, 486.) Serapion’s
Arabian authorities recommend it as a gentle purgative and phlegmagogue
in sciatica, both when given by the mouth and in clysters. One of them
says of it, that it makes the pustules of smallpox come out, when the
eruption is slow in taking place.
Ἡδύσμον,
Mentha, _Mint_, is hot, consists of subtile particles; its powers are
acrid in the third order, with some half-concocted fluids; it therefore
provokes to venery. It has, likewise, some bitterness, by which means
it kills intestinal worms; and by its sourness its restrains recent
discharges of blood.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. We need have no hesitation in referring it with all the
best commentators to the _Mentha sativa_, L. Dioscorides says it has
calefacient, astringent, and desiccative powers; and hence, he adds,
it stops the discharge of blood when drunk with vinegar, and kills
the round worms. (iii, 36.) According to him, it stimulates the male
to venery, but prevents conception in the female when applied on a
pessary before coition. He further says of it, that it stops hiccup,
vomiting, and cholera, when taken in a draught along with the juice of
an acid pomegranate. He also recommends it, in the form of an external
application, for headache, complaints of the breast, and other cases.
Galen pronounces mint to be one of the most attenuate articles in the
Mat. Med. He agrees with Dioscorides that it is useful in hæmoptysis; and
that it is anthelminthic and aphrodisiac. The author of the Hippocratic
treatise ‘_De Diætâ_,’ while, like Dioscorides, he gives mint the
credit of promoting the urinary discharge and stopping vomiting, says,
that taken in great quantity it weakens the semen and stops erections.
Aristotle likewise holds the opinion that mint is anaphrodisiac. (Bibl.
ii, 20.) Aëtius, seemingly with the desire of reconciling these great
authorities, maintains that mint indeed generates much semen, but of a
feeble nature. (Tetr. iv, 4, 26.) Ludovicus Nonnius, by the way, also
attempts to account for the difference among the professional authorities
on this point. (De re Cib. i, 15.) See also Rutty, (Mat. Med. 323), and
Parkinson (35.) The Arabians in treating of it follow Dioscorides and
Galen closely, and add little or nothing of their own. They all agree
with Dioscorides, that it is aphrodisiac and stops vomiting. See in
particular Serapion (290), and Avicenna (ii, 2, 188.) We need scarcely
mention that this species of _Mentha_ is now rejected from our Mat. Med.,
but that three other species of it are still retained.
Ἡδύσαρον ἢ Πελέκινος,
Hedysarum, _French Honeysuckle_, is bitter and subastringent. It is
therefore stomachic, when taken in a liquid form, and clears away
visceral obstructions.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. There has been great difference of opinion among the
commentators and herbalists respecting this herb; but we are inclined to
decide, with considerable confidence, that it was the Hatchet Vetch, or
_Coronilla securidaca_. Dioscorides says of it that it is stomachic and
alexipharmic, and that, in a pessary, it prevents conception. Our author
abridges Galen, and Aëtius does the same; and so likewise Oribasius. We
have been unable to find it in the Mat. Med. of the Arabians, with the
exception of Ebn Baithar, who merely copies from Dioscorides (i, 80.)
Ἡλιοτρόπιον,
Heliotropium, _Sunflower_; the large one (called also Scorpiurus) is
possessed of calefacient, desiccant, and detergent powers. Its decoction
when drunk brings away phlegm and bile. Its fruit in a cataplasm dries
myrmecia and such like cutaneous complaints. The small Sunflower also
removes these complaints and kills worms if drunk with the fruit along
with natron, hyssop, and cardamom.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Dioscorides calls the great Sunflower (_Heliotropium
Europæum_) phlegmagogue and cholagogue, and says it is useful in the
bites of scorpions, both internally and externally. He adds, that it
was used as an amulet to produce sterility. He also recommends it in
intermittent fevers, and as a cataplasm and fomentation to various
tumours, sprains, &c. He adds, that it is emmenagogue, and procures
abortion when powdered and applied on a pessary. (iv, 190.) None of the
other Greek authorities, as far as we have been able to discover, have
treated of either of the heliotropes; and if the Arabians describe them,
we have not been able to discover under what name it is. The lesser
heliotrope is probably the _Croton tinctorius_.
Ἤλεκτρον,
Electrum, _Amber_; they say that it is the tears of the poplar, which are
discharged into the river Po, and get concreted into a golden-coloured
substance. This, being pulverized and drunk, stops defluxions of the
stomach and bowels and discharges of blood.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. It is well known that the ancient authors in general
represent amber as an exudation from the poplar tree, commonly found
on the banks of the Po. Some of them, however, such as Lucian (De
Electro), held that it is a bituminous substance. See also Theophrastus
(De Lapidibus, with the annotations of Hill.) Serapion says of it,
that it is formed in the sea as mushrooms are formed on land; and when
the sea is troubled it casts forth large stones, and with them are
cast out crusts of amber. He also gives an account, which is not very
intelligible in the Latin translation, of its being swallowed up by a
fish, from which, when killed, amber was procured. What is of a citrine
colour, he says, is good; but what is white, like an ostrich’s egg, is
bad. Upon the authority of Aben Mesuai (Mesue the elder?), he calls
it a hot and dry medicine, and says it strengthens the brain, all the
senses, and the heart, and is useful to old persons and men of a cold
temperament. (De Simpl. 196.) Avicenna’s account of it is mostly made
up from Serapion. Amber, he says, in my opinion, is an emanation from a
fountain in the sea. He also repeats the account from Serapion, of its
being procured from the belly of a fish which has swallowed it and dies.
He must allude to the ambergris which is procured from the sperm-whale.
He determines it to be hot in the second and dry in the first degree. He
recommends it in exactly the same cases as Serapion. He makes mention
of a species used for dyeing the hair black. (ii, 2, 62, and 364.)
Rhases merely gives its medicinal character, which is the same as that
quoted above from Serapion. (Cont. l. ult. 44.) But no ancient writer
has given so full and correct an account of amber as Symeon Seth. He
says it abounds in various places, and that there are fountains of it
as of pitch, bitumen, and the like; that the best kind is of a grayish
colour (grisea ambra?) and fat, which is sold in a certain city of India,
called Silachetum. The ambergris or ambra-grisea, is found in a city of
Arabia Felix, called Syachria. The worst kind, he says, is black, and
is collected from fishes that have swallowed amber at its fountains. It
has, he adds, calefacient and incisive powers, and therefore some add
it to stomachic remedies. It strengthens the head and heart; and when
smelled to in drinking accelerates intoxication, and still more so if
added to the wine. (De Alimentis, xiii.) Psellus says, it cures dysury
when appended as an amulet, removes fever, stops defluxions of the
stomach, and sharpens the sight. (De Lapidibus.) Having been led along in
the present instance by the ancient authorities who have given the most
correct description of amber, we omitted to mention at the commencement,
that Dioscorides describes the electrum under the head of populus, as
being said to be the tears of poplars which have dropped into the Po, and
become coagulated. He adds, it is of a fragrant smell when rubbed, and
of a golden colour; and when triturated and drunk, it stops defluxions
of the stomach and belly. (i, 110.) See also Pliny (H. N. xxxvii, 11),
who supposes amber an exudation from pines, and gives otherwise a very
authentic and interesting account of its origin. He makes mention of
amber being used as an amulet in diseases of children, a practice which,
like other superstitions of the like kind, has been transmitted to modern
times. We need scarcely remark that the ancient opinions regarding the
origin of amber, are now looked upon as being not far removed from the
truth. Amber, although now in a fossil state, is supposed to have been an
exudation from some tree of the genus Pinus. See Pereira (Mat. Med. 223);
and the Appendix to this section.
Ἡμεροκαλλὶς,
Hemerocallis, _Lily of the Valley_; its root has powers like those of the
lily, and, like it, is useful for burns.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. This is undoubtedly a plant of the lily tribe; probably the
_Lilium bulbiferum_. Dioscorides, besides recommending it in burns,
like our author, says of it that when drunk and applied in a pessary
of wool it produces discharges of water and blood; and that its leaves
form an excellent application to the inflammations of the breasts after
parturition, and to those of the eyes. Our author follows Galen. Serapion
treats of it under the head of Lilium. (189.)
Ἡμιονίτις,
Hemionitis, _Moon Fern_, is possessed at the same time of astringency and
bitterness. It therefore relieves affections of the spleen when taken
with vinegar.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Galen calls it also by the names of _Scolopendrium_ and
_Asplenium_. (ii, 292, ed. Basil.) Dioscorides describes it so as to
leave no doubt of its being a cryptogamous plant. It is a species of the
_Scolopendrium_. The other authorities praise it in enlarged spleen.
Ἧπαρ,