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.)
SECT. XIII.—DRY APPLICATIONS AND ABSTERGENTS (SMEGMATA.)
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.
SECT. XIV.—ON LINIMENTS TO THE MOUTH AND THROAT.
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.)
SECT. XV.—ON DELICIOUS AND OFFICINAL POTIONS.
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.