quantité de cette emplâtre sur la toile, ou la peau; on appliquoit cela
sur quelque partie du corps, on le levoit, ou on l’arrachoit, et on
l’appliquoit derechef, reitérant souvent la même chose, pour faire rougir
la partie, dans le dessein d’attirer en dehors les humeurs, ou les sucs
qui servent à la nourriture des parties, ou dans la vue d’ouvrir les
pores. Pour rendre cette emplâtre plus efficace on y ajoutoit quelquefois
des poudres acres, comme du pyréthre, du poivre, du sel, du soufre. On
emploit aussi le dropax pour faire tomber, ou pour arracher le poil de
quelque partie.” (Hist. de la Méd.) Hesychius appears to have confounded
the _dropax_ with the _psilothron_ or _depilatory_. The former was merely
a sort of calefacient plaster, and was applied to parts not covered
with hairs. Oribasius says of it that it is prepared like the malagma.
When it is desired to make it calefacient, he directs us to add to it
pellitory, the seed of rosemary, and bitumen; when desiccative, the
sulphur vivum, salts, and the ashes of vegetables; and when it is wished
to make it of such a nature as to scarify the parts, he directs us to
add to it limnesium (adarce) and spurge. The part to which it is to be
applied, he says, if weak, should be shaven, but in the more robust, and
when a stronger application is required, it need not be shaven, unless
it is to be applied to the head, chin, or pubes. Myrepsus commends the
following dropax: “Take of bitumen, oz. ij; of wax, oz. j, sext. j; of
dried pitch, dr. j; of pine-rosin, of natron, of each, oz. j; of sulphur
vivum, of pellitory, of white hellebore, of adarce, of each, sext. j; of
stavesacre, of spurge, of each, dr. ⅛; of oil, q. s.” Certain forms of
the dropax seem to have been allied to the _blistering plasters_ of the
moderns. On this subject we cannot do better than copy the remarks of Dr.
Clinch, in his Preface to Ruffus Ephesius: “Quantum usus cantharidum, ex
quibus hodierna vesicantia ubique fere componuntur, veteribus innotuit,
vir Doctissimus Johannes Freind luculenter satis explicuit. Nequeo autem
hic silentio transire, quam graviter erratum sit a Georgio Baglivi,
qui Oribasii meminit, utpote primi ex Arabibus, qui de usu vesicantium
scripsit, quum eundem et Græcum fuisse, et Græcorum idiomate scripsisse,
nemo non noverit. Is profecto aliquid suggerit de eo vesicantium genere,
quæ dropaces et sinapismi dicuntur, qui ex sinapi, pipere, pyrethro et
ejusmodi acribus medicamentis conficiebantur, et semel quidem cantharidum
mentionem facit, neutiquam vero, quod scio, de his loquitur tanquam de
medicina, quâ ad vesicas in cute excitandas utebantur. Ætius quidem
dropacis formam exhibuit, quæ tres cantharidum drachmas recipit, unde
dropax exulcerans vulgo audit.”
Oribasius gives, from Antyllus, a most interesting and judicious account
of the _sinapism_. He says that it does not suit with acute diseases,
or, at least, only when the patient is of an inert constitution, and the
sensibility is obtuse. It is applicable, however, he says, in almost
all chronic diseases when other remedies have failed, except in the
case of an ulcer in the lungs or liver, or when the disease is seated
in a cartilaginous part. He recommends it in all cases of diminished
sensibility. The only acute diseases in which he represents it as
applicable are lethargy, catochus, carus, or fevers attended with loss
of heat and diminished sensibility. Like our author, he directs us to
prepare the sinapism with dried figs and mustard. Aëtius, upon the
authority of Archigenes, details its medicinal properties in nearly the
same terms. Both Aëtius and Oribasius represent goat’s dung, pounded
with vinegar, as being equally efficacious as the sinapism, and applying
particularly to ischiatic diseases. Myrepsus’s account agrees exactly
with that of our author. He mentions that some macerate the figs in
vinegar instead of water, but says that it renders the preparation
weaker. The Arabians prepared the sinapism exactly as the Greeks, and
applied it in similar cases. See Mesue (De Unguentis, i.)
SECT. XX.—DIFFERENT PREPARATIONS OF OILS AND OINTMENTS.
Of unguents and ointments, or of oils in the form of ointments, some
are simple, having only one article added to the oil, and some are
prepared and compounded from more substances. Of the simple some are
formed from flowers put into the oil, such as the oil of roses, that
of chamomile, and the susinum, or oil of lilies; some are formed from
fruits and seeds, and some from certain shoots, as of rue, which are
boiled along with the oil, none of the flowers admitting boiling, and
therefore they are rather exposed to the sun. But if their fragrance be
strong and permanent, if exposed for a number of days to the sun, they
become finer and more useful, such as the oils of roses and chamomile.
But such flowers as are weaker and more volatile bear less insolation,
being easily dissipated, such as the lily and violet. Of those formed
from fruits and seeds, some are formed from them added whole to the oil,
such as the melinum or oil of apples; and some have them pounded or
altered, and the oily part of them removed, either by being squeezed out
in a press and thus separated, such as the oils of walnuts, of sesame, of
almonds, of lentisk, of bay, of Palma Christi, of radish, and the like.
The compound ones are principally composed of aromatic herbs, which are
boiled in the oil with wine, must, or water, and filtrated, some juices,
and sometimes fats and marrows, being mixed with the oil. Of these, some
being of a strictly oily consistence, are called, simply, ointments or
unguents, as the gleucinum, nardinum, sicyonium, and cyprinum: but some
having the consistence of acopa, and receiving wax, rosin, or the like,
into their composition, are called myracopa, such as the decamyron,
amaracinum, and those resembling them. And some are boiled only once,
namely, such as do not consist of complex materials, as the metopium,
mastichinum, and sicyonium; and some at two, three, or four successive
additions, the articles which are most difficult to boil being first
put in, such as rosewood, spathe, frankincense-tree, and bay; then the
aromatics, Indian-leaf, spikenard, amomum, savin; and, last of all, the
juices, fats, marrow, and perhaps wax and rosins being added. The juice
of balsam, or opobalsam, is not boiled at all, but is added after the
boiling is over, and the ointment moderately cooled; and of the ointments
some do not admit of boiling at all, but the ingredients are only mixed,
as the mendesium; but some, when wishing to prepare the green ointment,
after taking it from the fire, an oz. iss of well-triturated verdigris
having been put into lb. v of oil, as in the cyprinum and amaracinum, dip
the ointment in this mixture. The simple ointments are possessed of the
powers of the articles added to them, or which are pounded in them, the
oil being but the groundwork (as it were) or vehicle of them. The nature
of all the complex ointments inclines to heating; but some are powerfully
calefacient and emollient, so as to agree with cases of ancylosis and
infarction, as the metopium, mendesium, marciatum. The pentamyron is more
moderate, as the decamyron is stronger, so as to abrade the surface; but
those which are moderately hot are subtile, paregoric, and digestive,
such as the susinum, amaracinum, irinum, crocinum, foliatum. Some,
in addition to their heating qualities, are sufficiently desiccative
and cutting, such as the cyprinum and sicyonium: some are powerfully
heating, and rather tonic, and hence they agree with the stomach and
viscera in particular when relaxed, such as the mastichinum, nardinum,
gleucinum; but the most tonic are those prepared from wild olives;
but some ointments are used only by women for their fragrant smell,
as the foliatum, spicatum, commagenum, and those called moschelæa or
compositions of musk and oil.
_The rosaceum, or oil of roses._ Of red roses deprived of their nails (or
the white extremities of their flowers), and dried for a night and a day,
oz. iij; of the oil of unripe olives, one Italian sextarius. Having bound
up the vessel carefully, so that it may not evaporate, expose to the
sun in open air for forty days, and then deposit the vessel, not on the
pavement, but upon a table: some instead of the insolation put the vessel
into a well, in order that its fragrance may be preserved by the cold,
but others bury it underground.
_The chamæmelinum, or oil of chamomile._ Of the flower of chamomile,
without the white petals, which has been dried for a night and a day, oz.
ij; of oil, one Italian sextarius. Cover over the vessel with a plain
piece of cloth, so as to allow it to transpire for forty days, after
which it is to be carefully covered over and laid up.
_The anethinum, or oil of dill._ Of the hair of the green dill, dried,
oz. j; of sweet oil, an Italian sextarius: expose to the sun in like
manner. The oil of dill may likewise be prepared at once, without
exposure to the sun; for the hair of dried dill may be boiled in a double
vessel, and used; and the oil of chamomile may be prepared in like
manner; but they are weaker than those from green dill, and especially if
made by exposure to the sun.
_The liliaceum, or oil of lilies, called also susinum, perhaps from
having been invented in Susa._ Of the petals of white lilies, dried in
like manner, oz. ij are to be added to an Italian sextarius of oil, and
carefully covered over so as to prevent it from evaporating, and exposed
to the sun for three days, after which, the first being filtered and
thrown away, other two ounces are to be added for other three days, and
thus laid up.
_The compound susinum, or oil of lilies._ Of oil, sext. iij; of aromatic
cane, oz. v; of myrrh, oz. v; of cardamom, oz. iij; of the petals of
lily, deprived of their nails and dried, lb. j; of cinnamon, oz. iij; of
Cilician saffron, oz. v. The whole process is to be divided into three
successive additions. First, we are to macerate the myrrh and the calamus
in wine for five days, stirring it three times a day, and then we are to
boil it with the oil for a very short time. Secondly, we are to macerate
the cardamom in water for three days, stirring it in like manner, and
then we are to boil it with the oil for one hour. Having filtrated, we
add to the pure oil the third part of the lilies, and after three days,
again having filtrated, we put in the other third of the lilies; and
again, after three days having filtrated and thrown away the first, we
are to add the remainder with triturated saffron. But after other three
days, the oil being filtrated, we add to it the cinnamon pounded, or,
instead of it, arnabo, or double the quantity of cassia or carpesium, and
lay it up.
_The iaton, violaceum, or oil of violets._ They prepare the oil of
violets, some from the purple, some from saffron-like, and some from
white violets, adding oz. iij of the leaves deprived of their nails to
an Italian sextarius of the oil of unripe olives; and covering it up
carefully to prevent it from evaporating; they insolate it for ten days,
changing them three times after every three days like the lilies. And in
laying them up, they add a few completely dried.
_The melinum, or oil of apples._ This is prepared from Cydonian apples
_or_ quinces, which are to be rubbed externally with a piece of cloth and
cut into pieces with their bark; and then lb. iij of them are to be added
to x Italian sext. of oil of unripe olives, and insolated for forty days.
_The sesaminum, or oil of oily-grain._ The oil of sesame is prepared from
oily grains bruised, softened, and squeezed in strainers with screws, or
from the oily part separated in hot water and laid up in vessels of glass.
_The raphaninum, or oil of radishes._ And this is prepared after the same
manner in Egypt from the seed of the radishes with small roots, pounded,
and the oil separated.
_The ricinum, oil of Palma Christi, or castor-oil._ This also is prepared
after the same manner in Egypt from the seed of the ricinus, which is
called croton, similarly pounded or levigated.
_The ægirinum, or oil of the black poplar._ It is found in the season of
spring when there is much rosin in the seed. For breaking down the grains
of black poplar, they add oz. iv of them to sext. j of sweet oil and
insolate for forty days, or boil in a double vessel for three hours, and
thus filtrate and lay up.
_The amygdalinum, or oil of almonds._ This is prepared like the
aforementioned, pure bitter almonds being bruised, a little water poured
in, and the oil separated as described above. Some add oz. ij of pounded
almonds to an Italian sextarius of sweet oil, and boil in a double vessel.
_The oil of almonds, which is called metopium._ The Egyptians, who
invented this oil, called it metopium, because it contains galbanum,
and the shrub from which the galbanum is got is called metopium. It
admits the following things: of the oil of unripe olives, sext. xx; of
bitter almonds, lb. ij; of cardamom, lb. j; of the schœnanth, of calamus
aromaticus, of carpobalsam, of each, lb. j; of myrrh, of galbanum, of
each, oz. vj; of turpentine, lb. ij; of fragrant wine to soak the dry
articles, sext. iv; of Attic honey, lb. iij. The rosin and galbanum being
triturated and dissolved in part of the oil, we put them into the other
things boiled, and then add the honey. When all the things are properly
mixed, and while it is still tepid, we remove it from the fire and strain
it, for it becomes thick when it cools.
_The balaninum, or oil of acorns._ The oil of acorns is prepared like the
oil of almonds, from the acorns of oaks.
_The caryinum, or oil of walnuts._ This is prepared like the aforesaid,
from old walnuts.
_Laurinum, or oil of bay._ The plain oil is formed in the same manner
from the fruit of bay, but the mixed is prepared thus: of ripe olives,
sext. j is added to sext. ij of bay-berries, and all pounded and
expressed. Some mix equal parts of each.
_The lentiscinum, or oil of lentisk._ And this is prepared in the same
manner as the oil of bay, from the fruit of lentisk, in two ways, by
itself and with olives, not ripe but sour.
_The mastichinum, or oil of mastich._ The most simple kind is formed
of Chian mastich, oz. j, being added to an Italian sextarius of oil of
unripe olives, and boiled in a double vessel. Some add also, of wormwood
and of storax, of each, oz. j.
_A more complex oil of mastich._ Of oil, sext. L; of elecampane, lb. v;
of xylobalsam, lb. x; of the schœnanth, lb. v; of cardamom, lb. vij; of
mastich, lb. v; of the wood of mastich, lb. viij; of turpentine, lb. iij;
of the hair of wormwood, lb. j; of fragrant wine, sext. v; of water,
sext. j. The dry things being previously macerated in wine for three
days, are mixed with the oil and the water, and boiled for six hours, and
then the mastich and turpentine are added, and being properly mixed are
filtrated, and when cooled are put into a vessel.
_The simple sicyonian, or oil of cucumbers._ This is prepared by adding
oz. ij of the dried root of the wild cucumber to an Italian sextarius of
oil, and boiling in a double vessel.
_The compound oil of cucumbers._ Of oil, sext. x; of the scraped root of
the wild cucumber, lb. j; of wild thyme, of melilot, of each, oz. v; of
fatty dead pines, of marsh-mallows, of each, oz. v; of asplenium, oz. vj;
of fenugreek, sext. ij. The fenugreek is first soaked in the water for
one day and then filtrated, and is added to the things mentioned with oil
and sext. ij of wine; and when all are boiled, there are added of stag’s
marrow, triturated with a little oil, oz. iv; of the grease of fowls,
oz. iv; and when the oil is again filtrated, it is to be deposited in a
vessel. Some also expose it to the sun after boiling forty days.
_Another oil of cucumbers, more efficacious._ Of the juice of elaterium,
sext. iij; of round and of long birthwort, of storax, of elecampane, of
hyssop, of iris, of colocynth, of pennyroyal, of origany, of cyperus, of
frankincense-tree, of centaury, of bay-leaves, of each, oz. ij; of oil,
sext. v. Having mixed, boil until but little of the juice remain.
_The cyprinum, or oil of privet, from the works of Posidonius._ Of
oil, sext. j; of cyperus, of elecampane, of iris, of each, lb. j; of
sampsuchum, of hyssop, of the seed of chaste-tree, of sage, of each, oz.
iij; of the flower of privet, lb. j. All the other things having been
previously macerated in wine for one day, are to be boiled with the oil
for six hours. To the pure filtrated oil the privet is added, if the
green be at hand, with its tender branches not bruised, but otherwise the
dried are to be pounded with a little water, and boiled for an hour and
a half. But if you wish to give it colour after taking it from the fire,
add of pure verdigris, lb. iss. Posidonius, wishing to avoid the acrimony
of the verdigris, directs, after the boiling, to leave the oil for three
days in a vessel not tinned, and it will acquire the colour, with its
powers unimpaired.
_Another formula for the oil of privet._ Of citron-leaves, of bay-leaves,
of iris, of cyperus, of sage, of each, oz. iij; of frankincense-tree,
of the long birthwort, of the seed of chaste-tree, of each, oz. iv; of
elecampane, of rosewood, of each, oz. vj; of rue, oz. ij; of cypress, oz.
ij; of oil, sext. j. Having first macerated these things in wine, boil
with oil; and having filtrated, add again of xylobalsam, of xylocassia,
of each, oz. iv; of sampsuch, of cumin, of myrtle, of storax, of mastich,
of each, oz. iij; of opoponax, oz. ij; of the flower of privet, oz. vj;
of verdigris, oz. j.
_The amaracinum, or oil of marjoram._ Of elecampane, lb. x; of
xylobalsam, lb. xx; of cyperus, lb. viij; of the schœnanth, of rosewood,
of savin, of each, lb. viij; of opoponax, of seed of amaracus, of each,
lb. ij; of primary oil, sext. lxxx; of fragrant oil, sext. v. All the
other things, being first macerated in wine, are to receive the first
addition, but the second addition is to be the savin; and the former
articles are to be boiled six hours, but this only three. Some dip it
and add of verdigris, oz. iij.
_The irinum, or oil of iris._ Of iris, of rosewood, of cyperus, of each,
lb. v; of opoponax, oz. iij; of alkanet, oz. ij; of oil, sext. xxx; of
water, sext. xv. Some add also, of the schœnanth, oz. vj; of cassia, oz.
iij; of xylobalsam, oz. vj; of Celtic nard, oz. vj. All these things,
being bruised, are to be first macerated in water and oil for five days,
and then boiled in a double vessel for six days, and laid up.
_The crocinum, or oil of saffron, in which is contained the composition
of another crocomagma._ Of the fragrant oil of unripe olives, lb. j; of
calamus aromaticus, oz. v; of troglodytic myrrh, oz. v; of cardamom,
oz. vij; of Cilician saffron, oz. vj. The first addition is to be of
the calamus and myrrh, which, being triturated with wine, are to be
macerated for three days, and three times a day stirred with a spatula of
palm: then they are to be boiled with the oil. The second addition is to
consist of the cardamom which has been macerated in the water for one day
before; and the third, of the saffron in wine. Some add other five ounces
of the myrrh with the saffron. Having filtrated, the pure oil is laid up.
The whole deposit of the articles is formed into trochisks, which, being
dried, constitute what is called the crocomagma.
_The Mendesium._ It is so called because it was invented in Egypt where
Mendes is worshipped. It receives of the oil of acorns, lb. x (in another
formula, sext. x); of myrrh, of cassia fistula, of each, oz. iij; of
turpentine, lb. x (in another formula, sext. x); of cinnamon, oz. iij.
This is not boiled, but the dry things being put in, are stirred for
sixty days: then the turpentine being melted, is added to part of the
oil, and afterwards stirred for sixty days, in which state it is laid up.
_The marciatum._ Of mastich, of wax, of storax, of each, oz. iij; of
the medicine œsypum, oz. ss; of opobalsam, oz. iss; of oil of nard, of
gleucinum, of oil of unripe grapes, of each, oz. iij; of stag’s marrow,
oz. iss; of turpentine, oz. j.
_The oil of unripe olives._ The first addition.—Of rosewood, of the
branches of palms, of melilots, of iris, of the schœnanth, of xylobalsam,
of dried roses, of sweet-cane, of each, oz. iij; of oil of unripe olives,
lb. x; of the juice of unripe olives, sext. x.
The second addition.—Of Indian leaf, of amomum, of spikenard, of costus,
of cloves, of cassia, of cassamum, of each, oz. iij (in another formula
also, of arnabo, oz. iij); of wine, q. s.
The third addition.—Of frankincense, of ammoniac perfume, of storax,
of bdellium, of myrrh, of mastich, of each, oz. iij; of wine, q. s.;
of white wax, oz. v; of opobalsam, oz. vj (some make it oz. viij). The
articles of the first addition are to be first macerated for one day
in the juice of unripe olives and the oil; but those of the second in
another vessel, in Aminæan or some other old and fragrant wine, stirring
every day with a spatula of palm three times for three days; after
which boil in a vessel lined with tin; first, the articles of the first
addition until little remain of the unripe olive juice: then, immediately
add those of the second with the wine. But it is better, having first
filtrated, to add these things to the pure oil; and when boiled until
little of the wine be left, in order that the oil may not be burnt, take
it off the fire and filtrate, and add again to the pure oil the succulent
articles of the third addition, which have been previously triturated in
a mortar with wine such as I mentioned, all except the storax, for it, if
added with the other things, is straightway dissolved. And they are to be
boiled upon coals until the preparation appears to be in a proper state,
when it is to be taken off the fire and allowed to cool. Next day, having
filtrated the oil carefully, and warmed it sufficiently upon the fire,
add the wax, and when it is taken off, stir with a spatula. After it is
cooled add the opobalsam, and lay it up in vessels of glass.
_The gleucinum, or oil of must._ The first addition.—Of oil, sext. x;
of Aminæan must, sext. vj; of rose-wood, oz. iv; of palm-branch, oz.
vj; of the schœnanth, oz. vj; of melilots, oz. iv; of roses, oz. j; of
myrrh, oz. iij; of bay-leaves, oz. ij; of frankincense-tree, oz. vj; of
xylobalsam, oz. vj; of elecampane, oz. vj; of long birthwort, oz. iij; of
iris, oz. iij. Macerate these things in the must.
The second addition.—Of Celtic nard, oz. iv; of cassamum (or sow-bread),
oz. ij; of cyperus, of cassia, of spikenard, of asarabacca, of amomum, of
costus, of sampsuch, of each, oz. iij; of calamus aromaticus, of cloves,
of Indian leaf, of each, oz. j; of cardamom, oz. iv. Macerate in fragrant
wine.
The third addition.—Of mastich, oz. iv; of troglodytic myrrh, of
bdellium, of each, oz. ij; of ladanum, oz. iij; of liquid storax, of
male frankincense, of each, oz. iv; of opobalsam, oz. vj (some add also
of saffron, oz. ij). Prepare like the ointment from unripe olives, except
the wax. But here the articles of the two additions are to be macerated
for seven days.
_The nardinum Cyzicenum, or nard oil of Cyzicus._ The first addition.—Of
primary oil, sext. x; of rose-wood, of cyperus, of elecampane, of iris,
of xylobalsam, of birthwort, of cardamom, of the schœnanth, of each,
oz. vj; of sampsuch, oz. iv; of savin, oz. ij. Some add also of calamus
aromaticus, oz. ij. These things are to be macerated in sext. iv of
fragrant wine.
The second addition.—Of cassia, of cassamum, of arnabo, of each, oz. ij;
of spikenard, oz. iij; of cloves, oz. j; of costus, of amomum, of each,
oz. ij (some add also of Celtic nard, oz. ij). These things are to be
macerated in wine.
The third addition.—Of troglodytic myrrh, of aloes, of frankincense, of
each, oz. ij; of storax, oz. iij; of mastich, oz. iv; of opobalsam, oz.
vj (some add also oz. j of saffron, triturated in wine). Prepare this
also as said above.
_The decamyron, or oil containing ten ingredients._ Of spikenard, of
Indian leaf, of euphorbium, of pepper, of costus, of adarce, of each, oz.
j; of mastich, oz. iss; of opobalsam, oz. vj; of oil of nard, lb. j; of
wax, oz. vj.
_The pentamyron._ Of storax, oz. j; of mastich, oz. ij; of white wax, oz.
iij; of opoponax, oz. iv; of nard, oz. v.