sort of plant resembling a tree, the root of which, when applied as a
cataplasm, proves soothing to the bites of venomous animals.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. It would appear to be either the _Œnothera Onagra_,
Tournefort, or the _Epilobium angustifolium_ L., Narrow-leaved
Willow-herb, as Sprengel supposes. Dioscorides describes it minutely,
but, like our author, merely recommends it in malignant sores. (iv, 116.)
Galen strangely, as we would suppose, says of it, that its juice is of a
venous nature, and of the same power as wine. As far as we have been able
to discover, it is not to be found in the works of Hippocrates, Celsus,
or any of the Arabians. It is worthy of remark that the _Epilobium
angustifolium_, although it does not hold a place in our Mat. Med., is
still known to the vendors of medicines, and retains the characters which
it obtained from the ancients. See Gray (Suppl. to Pharmacop. 84.) This
confirms the conjecture that the onagra is this plant. We would further
mention, as confirmatory of this opinion, that the _E. angust._ has been
cultivated about gardens in this country from time immemorial, so that
there is every reason to believe that it had been introduced by the
Romans, no doubt on account of its supposed efficacy in medicine.
Ὄνομα ἢ Ὀνομὶς,
Onosma, or Onomis, _Stone Bugloss_ (called also Phlomitis or Ononis), is
acrid and bitter, and hence the leaves of it when drunk with wine kill
and expel the fœtus.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. That it was a species of _Anchusa_, or one of its congeners,
is obvious, from the description of it given by Dioscorides, who says,
the stalk, the fruit, and the flower, are very like to the anchusa. It
seems probable, then, that it was some species either of _Anchusa_ or
_Lithospermum_. The _Onosma_ of Linnæus, as Sprengel justly remarks (Ad
Dioscor. iii, 137), is altogether a plant of a different character.
Dioscorides, like our author, says it has great powers in procuring
abortion; nay, that it was alleged that if a pregnant woman walked upon
the plant she would miscarry. (l. c.) It is said that Aretæus recommends
it in nephritic complaints. Pseudo-Dioscor. (Euporist. ii, 112.) Galen
and the other authorities who notice it, do so in nearly the same
language as our author. We have not been able to discover any traces of
it in the works of the Arabians.
Ὀνόβρυχις,
Onobrychis, _Cockshead_, is possessed of aromatic and discutient powers.
It therefore discusses phymata, cures strangury, and proves sudorific.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Dioscorides describes it as having leaves like the lentil, or
a little longer, a stalk a fathom long, a purple flower, and small root,
and grows in wet and uncultivated grounds. This description seems clearly
to point to the _Onobrychis sativa_, a plant of the tribe _Fabaceæ_.
Dioscorides holds it to be diuretic and sudorific, and discussive
of tumours. (iii, 160.) It appears to have been generally used as a
diuretic. Pseudo-Dioscor. (Euporist. ii, iii.) Galen gives exactly the
same account of it as our author; indeed, both borrow from Dioscorides.
The Arabians would appear to have rejected it from their Mat. Med.
Although it has long ceased to occupy a place in the Dispensatory, the
sainfoin, or cockshead, is still known to the vendors of medicines, and
retains its ancient characters of being “ripening, discussive, useful in
strangury.” Gray (Pharmacop. 96.) Our old herbalist, Culpeper, ascribes
to it the same virtues. (Complete Herbal, 52.)
Ὄνοι,
Aselli, Millepedes, _or Slaters_; those found under water-vessels, which
roll themselves into a ball when touched, are possessed of discutient and
desiccative powers. Therefore, when drunk with wine they cure dysuria and
jaundice, and in cases of cynanche they are rubbed in with honey: and for
earache they are triturated with rose oil, and being warmed in the shell
of a pomegranate are injected into the ear.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. The _Millepedes_ are thus described by Marcellus Empiricus:
“In locis humidis et sordidis sub lapidibus inveniuntur bestioliæ
multipedes quæ contactæ contrahuntur et rotundantur.” (De Medicamentis,
c. xxxv.) They are the Porceliones of Cælius Aurelianus (i, 4), who calls
them “animalia quæ humectis et aquosis locis sæpe nascuntur, a Græcis
appellata onisci.” (Tard. Pass.) Almost all the ancient authorities
on the Materia Medica from Dioscorides downwards, recommend them in
the same cases as our author does. In fact, almost all the authorities
take the characters of the millepedes from Dioscorides. (ii, 37.) See
in particular Serapion (De Simpl. 4, 29), Avicenna (ii, 2, 718.) They
particularly commend the use of them in jaundice. In English they are
called _Slaters_ or _Cheslops_. They held a place in the Edinburgh
Dispensatory until after the edition of it in 1811. In fact, the highest
modern authorities testify to the medicinal virtues ascribed to them by
the ancient authorities. Moses Charras, who makes frequent mention of
them, says, that a volatile salt is obtained from them which is highly
diaphoretic. Dr. Hill calls them aperient, attenuant, and detergent. Dr.
Mead recommends them strongly for their diuretic property. He directs
us to put them into wine, and afterwards to strain off the liquor, and
sweeten it with honey or sugar. (_Monita et præcepta._) It would appear
that they are still used in France as diuretics. In Dr. Pemberton’s
edition of the London Dispensatory, 1746, it is directed to inclose
them in a thin canvass cloth, and suspend them within a covered vessel
over the steam of hot spirit of wine, by which they will be killed and
rendered friable. Lister calls them lithontriptic.
Ὂνυχες,
Onyches, are the covers of Indian shell-fishes. These, in a fumigation,
rouse those affected with uterine suffocation and epileptics. But when
drunk they disorder the belly.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Dioscorides says of the Onyx, that it is the operculum of
a shell-fish, like that of the Purpura, being found in India in the
lakes that produce nard; and that it acquires an aromatic smell from
the shell-fishes feeding on the nard; it is gathered, he adds, when the
lakes are dried up by the drought; the kind brought from the Red Sea is
different, being whitish and fatty; the Babylonian is black and smaller,
but both form a fragrant fumigation, resembling castor somewhat in smell.
He concludes with stating, regarding their medicinal properties, that
both rouse persons in hysterical convulsions, and also in epileptical,
when applied in fumigations; that taken internally, they soften the
belly; and that the shell-fish itself, when burnt, has the same powers as
the purpura and murex. (ii, 10.) Avicenna gives a very accurate account
of this article under the name of _Blacte Byzantie_; but except that
he does not attribute the fragrancy of the shell to the nard it feeds
on, his description is nowise dissimilar to that by Dioscorides. The
medicinal virtues which he assigns to it are exactly the same. (ii, 2,
78.) Serapion gives a literal translation of the chapter of Dioscorides
on the _onyx_. (De Simpl. 443.) One of Rhases’s authorities says of
the _Blactiæ Byzantiæ_, that they are of a hot and dry temperament,
being possessed of astringency and subtilty of parts, and that they are
stomachic, hepatic, emmenagogue, and cordial. (Cont. l. ult. i, 127.)
From the above account of this article, it will readily be seen that it
is the cover of the _Strombus lentiginosus_.
Ὄνωνις,
Ononis, _Restharrow_, has a root which is desiccative in about the third
degree, but the bark of it is detergent and incisive; and hence it is
lithontriptic.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. See Ἄνωνις.
Ὄξος,
Acetum, _Vinegar_, is possessed of mixed powers, namely, cold and hot,
both arising from tenuity of parts; but the cold prevails over the hot.
It is a desiccant of the third rank.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. It is also called γλυκάδιον, as the Scholiast on Nicander
says, per euphemismum, from γλύκυς, sweet. But we are rather inclined
to think that it is the diminutive of γλεῦκος, must, vinegar being the
juice of the grape which has lost its strength. Hence Pliny calls it
“vitium vini.” All the ancient authorities maintained that vinegar is at
the same time refrigerant and discutient. Galen discusses the question
regarding the nature of it at great length and with much ingenuity.
(De Med. Simpl. i.) He, Pliny, and Celsus mention the fact that an
effervescence is produced when it is poured on earth, meaning, no doubt,
certain carbonates. Pliny and Celsus commend it in the strongest terms
as an antidote to the sting of the asp. Serapion and the other Arabians
copy Galen’s account of it. Symeon Seth gives an interesting abstract of
the ancient opinions on this subject. Dioscorides and Avicenna recommend
it as an application to ecchymosis of the face; but the latter remarks,
if too long continued it renders the part yellow and weakens the sight.
(ii, 2, 74.) See also Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 18.) These two Arabian
authorities say of it, that it congeals the womb; but that a clyster
of hot vinegar and salt proves soothing in the spreading ulcers of the
intestines. Both the Greek and Arabian authorities commend it as an
antidote in cases of poisoning with opium and cicuta. They also recommend
an embrocation with vinegar and olive oil or rose oil to the head in
affections of it. Dioscorides recommends vinegar for chronic coughs and
orthopnœa, and also for defluxions of the throat and quinseys. (v, 21.)
The Greek and Arabian authorities further agree in recommending it in
erysipelas, herpes, and whitlow.
Ὀξυάκανθος,
Oxyacantha, _Evergreen Thorn_; the tree is like the wild pear in
appearance and powers, having also some tenuity of parts. The fruit of it
resembles myrtles.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Matthiolus, Dodonæus, and Sprengel agree in referring it to
the _Mespilus Pyracantha_, or _Evergreen Thorn_. The commentators on
Mesue make it to be the Berberis, i. e. the _Berberry_. See the Appendix
to this section. Dioscorides, after giving a botanical description of
it, says, with regard to its medicinal powers, that when pulverised and
applied in a cataplasm it extracts thorns and prickles, and that its
root is said to possess the power of occasioning abortions, when the
abdomen is gently stroked or rubbed with it. (i, 122.) Galen says of it,
that its root is attenuant and incisive, resembling that of myrtles; and
that whether eaten or drunk it restrains all fluxes. (De Simpl. viii.)
Although the similarity of names might lead us to suppose that this must
be the _Spina acuta_ of the Arabians, this does not appear to be at all
the case. Sec Avicenna (ii, 2, 11.)
Ὄπιον,
_Opium_, is treated of under poppy.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Although we treated of the deleterious effects of opium
on the animal economy in the Fifth Book, and have given a general
description of the medicinal properties of the poppy in the proper
place, we shall avail ourselves of the present opportunity to supply
some important information regarding the ancient use of opium in the
practice of medicine. Though mention is made of “the juice of the poppy,”
and of “meconium” as soporifics in the works of the Hippocratists (De
Mulieribus, ii), it does not appear that these articles were much in
use until a later age. “The juice of the poppy” is noticed likewise by
Theophrastus (Fr. 20, 35), and the process of gathering this juice is
briefly alluded to by him (H. P. ix, 8, 2); but the nature of his work
did not lead him to say anything of its medicinal uses. There can be
no question, we presume, that the “papaveris lacryma” of Celsus was
opium, i. e. the concrete juice of the poppy. He prescribes it on many
occasions, both externally and internally. For example, as an ingredient
along with hyoscyamus, burnt lead, and other ingredients for an emollient
plaster to be applied in arthritic pains (v, 18, 29, 35), and as an
injection with alum, acacia, and henbane in earache (vi, 7); as an
ingredient in various collyria for complaints of the eyes (vi, 6); as an
injection in complaints about the anus (vi, 18), and in many other cases.
The famous Methodist, Cælius Aurelianus, is very guarded in his use of
opiates, and he appears to approve of the opinion of those who held that
poppy does not induce sleep, but oppression of the senses; “papavera
autem pressuram non somnum faciunt.” (i, 1.) See also Pass. Tard. (i,
5.) Dioscorides, then, is the first authority that gives a detailed
account of opium and its uses in medicine. Treating of the cultivated
poppy, he says, that its juice is very congealing, incrassative, and
desiccative, when taken in small quantity, to the size of a vetch, is
anodyne, soporific, concoctive, and is useful in coughs and cæliac
affections. Taken in greater quantity, it proves injurious, inducing
lethargy and death; it is beneficial in headache when rubbed in with rose
oil; and in earache when injected with almond oil, saffron, and myrrh; in
inflammations of the eyes with the roasted yelk of an egg and saffron;
and for erysipelas and wounds with vinegar; for gout with a woman’s
milk and saffron; and when applied as a suppository per anum it induces
sleep. The best kind is that which is dense, has a heavy stupefying
smell, is bitter to the taste, readily incorporating with water, smooth,
white, not rough, nor grumous, nor moulding like wax in the process of
straining; when laid in the sun softening, and when applied to a lamp
not burning with a smoky flame, and after being extinguished preserving
its powers in its smell. He then mentions several modes of adulterating
it which were practised in his time, and then adds, it is roasted for
ophthalmic medicines upon a recent shell until it becomes soft and of a
tawny colour. Erasistratus says that Diagoras condemned the use of it in
diseases of the ears and eyes, as inducing dimness of sight and coma.
And Andreas says, that if it had not been adulterated those that rubbed
it in would have been deprived of sight by it. But Mnesidemus says, that
the only proper use of it is by the smell, as thus disposing to sleep,
for that otherwise it proved injurious; but these statements are false,
as is proved by experience; for the operation of the medicine is attested
by its effects. He concludes by describing the modes by which opium and
meconium were prepared, but it will be sufficient for our purpose to
state that his description of the former of these is exactly the same
as the method now commonly practised. See Kæmpfer (Amæn. Exost. 643),
and Pereira (M. M. 1274.) The meconium was the expressed juice of the
leaves and head, and is not now in use. Dioscorides states that it is
much weaker than the other. (iv, 65.) Pliny’s description of the opium
and meconium is obviously taken from Dioscorides, or both these authors
must have copied from some preceding authority. He thus describes the
meconium: “cum capita ipsa et folia decoquuntur, succus meconium vocatur,
multum opio ignavior.” (H. N. xx, 76.) Opium it is certain was freely
used by the Empirics, and accordingly it will be found that it is a
very common ingredient in the prescriptions of Scribonius Largus, and
Marcellus the Empiric. The latter gives several formulæ for collyria, in
which opium occurs, and he is at pains to state that it is the concrete
and not the expressed juice which must be used. (De Medicamentis, viii.)
He also prescribes it internally for pains of the kidneys (xxvi), as an
enema in colic (xxix), and in many other cases. Galen would appear to
have had very sound opinions respecting the use of opium in the treatment
of diseases. He professes, indeed, never to have had recourse to it when
he could help it. (De Comp. med. sec. loc. iii); but yet he prescribes
it in cæliac and certain stomach affections (ibid, viii), and even in
intense pains of the eyes (Meth. Med. ii), although in general he
condemns the application of it in collyria. (Meth. Med. iii; and De Comp.
m. s. l. ii.) He often mentions that castor counteracts the prejudicial
effects of opium. (De med. sec. loc. iii, and viii.) Of all kinds of
opium he pronounces the Theban to be the best. (De Antid. i.) Avicenna,
besides treating of opium as a poison, and giving the general properties
of poppy, under that head, has a very interesting chapter on opium in his
Mat. Med. He defines opium to be the juice of the black Egyptian poppy
dried in the sun. He says it proves fatal if given in a larger dose than
two drachms; but the proper dose he states to be the size of a tare. He
states in parenthesis that opium is also formed from the juice of the
wild lettuce (lactucarium?). He calls it narcotic and sedative of all
pains, whether taken internally or rubbed in. It is useful, he says, in
apostemes, especially in those of an inflammatory nature. He says of it,
that it dries up ulcers; with the yelk of an egg forms a liniment for
gout; it proves soporific if a cloth smeared with it be placed below the
head; allays pain if injected into the ear affected, along with myrrh
and saffron; allays chronic pains of the head, and sometimes cures them;
soothes the pains of ophthalmy, and the apostemes of the eyes, with the
milk of a woman; but yet he adds, that many of the ancient authorities
had condemned the use of it in such cases as proving injurious to the
sight; it allays incessant coughs, and often cures that kind which is
noisy; improves the stomach in peculiar cases, when debilitated by
excess of heat and humidity, is braced by it; but in many constitutions,
opium, so administered, impairs digestion; it stops diarrhœa; is useful
in dysentery, and in ulcerations of the intestines. It proves fatal, he
says, by congealing the vital powers and extinguishing the innate heat;
and its antidote is castor. He concludes by saying, that three times the
amount of the seed of hyoscyamus, or double of the seed of mandragora,
may be given as a substitute for it. (ii, 2, 519.) Haly Abbas treats of
opium more briefly, stating in general terms that it is a soporific and
sedative medicine. He seems to say that from half a drachm to a drachm
will prove fatal. (Pract. ii, 40, 318.) Serapion’s account of opium
is mostly made up of extracts from Dioscorides and Galen, with a few
brief notices of the opinions held by Arabian authorities, which do
not contain anything of much interest. (c. 374.) Rhases’s chapter upon
the poppy contains many extracts from the Greek authorities on opium,
with a few from Arabian writers, which, however, contain nothing of
much interest after what we have given from Dioscorides and Avicenna.
Like Serapion, he says, from half a scruple to a scruple is a dose, and
that two drachms will prove fatal. His authority, Mesue, says it forms
semen. Another of them, Joannitius, seems to say that it binds the bowels
in general, but yet has some laxative power. (Cont. l. ult. i, 533.)
In the ‘Book of Experience,’ as quoted by Ebn Baithar, poppy-juice is
recommended in complaints of the eyes, and in pains of the head when
applied to the forehead. One of his Arabian authorities mentions its good
effects in diarrhœa; and it is also spoken favorably of as an application
to burns. Ebn Baithar’s account of this article is otherwise mostly made
up from Dioscorides.
Ὀπὸς,
Succus Cyrenaicus, Medicus, and Syriacus, are so named _per
excellentiam_, being considerably hot and flatulent. The Cyrenaic is
hotter and more attenuate than any of the others.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. The high interest which attaches to these articles might
well dispose us to wake our classical recollections, in order to
illustrate the nature of them, if the narrow limits to which we feel
that we are restricted did not restrain us from such an undertaking.
We beg, however, to quote the words of one of our ablest authorities
in illustration of this subject. Dr. Lindley, treating of the plants
which yield assafœtida, says, “assafœtida is the milky juice of various
species of Ferula inhabiting Persia and neighbouring countries. Of
these, F. assafœtida is the plant described by Kæmpfer. (Amæn. Exot.
535); but F. Perscia and others, are no doubt also the origin of this
drug. The Asa dulcis or Laser Cyrenaicum was yielded by a Thapsia, and
probably _Thapsia Garganica_. This drug was in high reputation among the
ancients for its medicinal uses; it had miraculous powers assigned to
it—power to neutralize the effect of poison, to cure envenomed wounds,
to restore sight to the blind, and youth to the aged; these were only
a part of its reputed properties; it was also reckoned antispasmodic,
deobstruent, diuretic, &c., &c. So great was its reputation, that the
princes of Cyrene caused it to be struck on the reverse of their coins;
and the Cyrenean doctors were reckoned among the most eminent in the
world.” (Veg. King. 776.) See further Pereira (Mat. Med. 1041), and most
especially Sprengel in Dioscor. (iii, 85.) From what we have stated,
our readers will readily comprehend that the Median and Syrian juices
were varieties of the gum resin of Ferula assafœtida; while the Cyrenean
juice was the gum resin of a congener, namely (as stated above), the
_Thapsia Garganica_, called silphium by the ancients. That the Cyrenaic
juice was the product of the silphium, is positively stated by Strabo.
(Geogr. xvii, 3.) We shall reserve what we have to say on its medicinal
properties till we come to that article. It is the laser and laserpitium
of the Roman authors. It occurs in the Hippocratic collection. (De Morb.
iv.) By the Arabian authors it is generally treated of under the name of
_Assa_, and hence its modern appellation.
Ὀρίγανος,
Origanum, _Origany_, or _Wild Marjoram_; all the species of it are
possessed of incisive, attenuant, desiccative, and calefacient powers in
the third degree.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Apuleius enumerates three species and recommends them for
coughs. (c. 122.) Galen and Dioscorides also describe the same number of
species, which may be referred—the 1st, to the _Origanum Heracleoticum_,
L.; the 2d, to the _O. onitis_; and the 3d, to _O. sylvestre album_.
Dioscorides describes the particular uses of these plants so fully that
we cannot find room for his separate articles on each. Suffice it to
say, that he sets down the first as being laxative, emmenagogue, and
expectorant. (iii, 29, 30, 31.) Galen, like our author, merely states
the properties of the _Origana_ in general terms. The Arabians call the
origanum diuretic and vermifuge. They copy, as usual, from the Greeks.
See Serapion (c. 310), Avicenna (ii, 2, 526), and Rhases (Cont. l. ult.
i, 125.) The _Origanum Smyrnæum_ occurs in the modern Greek Pharmacopœia
(121.)
Ὁρεοσέλινον,
Apium montanum, _Mountain Parsley_, has powers like those of parsley, but
stronger.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Dioscorides says of this article (_Selinum Oreoselinum_? or
_Athamanta Libanotis_?), that it is diuretic and emmenagogue, and an
ingredient in antidotes, and in diuretic and heating remedies. (iii,
69.) Galen and the other Greek authorities treat of it in general terms
along with its congeners; and the Arabians do the same under _Apium_.
See in particular Avicenna (ii, 2, 55); Serapion (De Simpl. 290); Rhases
(Cont. l. ult. i, 69.) Serapion’s Arabian authorities represent the Apium
montanum as being laxative, carminative, deobstruent, diuretic, and, in
some cases, emetic. The _Athamanta Libanotis_ is still to be found in the
shops of the apothecaries, where it retains its ancient characters. Gray
(Suppl. to the Pharmacop. 81.) Some of the commentators on Dioscorides
take it for the article we are treating of.
Ὀροβάκχη,
Orobanche, _Holly Rose_, belongs to the first order of the desiccative
and cooling temperament.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. It appears unquestionably to be the _Orobanche Caryophyllea_.
See Sibthorp. (Fl. Græca. i, 440.) Dioscorides merely states of it, that
it was eaten as a potherb both raw and boiled. The other authorities
treat of it very succinctly. We have not been able to discover any traces
of it in the works of the Arabians.
Ὄροβος,
Ervum, _Bitter Vetch_, or _Tare_, is heating in the first degree, and
desiccative in the second. It is also bitter, and therefore is incisive,
detergent, and deobstruent. When taken in too great a dose it occasions
bloody urine.
* * * * *