AVENS. Geum Urbanum. Herb Bennet. Flower Yellow. Perennial. Roots
scented like cloves, sudorific, tonic, antipodagric stomachic. When
young the roots give a pleasant flavour to ale. They are said to be
useful in diarrhœa.
BENJAMIN. Styrax Benzoin. A gum exuded from a species of laurel.
Stimulant. Is the principal ingredient in Friar’s Balsam.
BOLE ARMENIACK. Armenian Bole. Several minerals were formerly used
in medicine under this name. The Armenian Bole of the present day is
usually made by mixing pipe-clay or common chalk with oxide of iron or
red ochre.
CARDOMUM. Elettaria Cardamomum. Amomum Repens. Repens. True Cardamom.
Seeds, stimulant, assisting digestion, largely used in medicine.
Strong, pungent, but aromatic odour when bruised.
CARDUS. Cardunus is probably this herb, and there is a great variety.
It is evidently one of the Thistles, or the Artichoke.
COMMING SEED. Cumin. Cyminum Cumin. Seeds carminative, smell
disagreeable, chiefly used in veterinary medicine.
CRAB’S EYES, or CRAFISH EYES. Concretions found in the stomach of the
river Crawfish. They are white, and resemble in appearance miniature
mushrooms. They vary in size from a quarter to five-eights of an inch
in diameter. Formerly used as absorbents and antacids. Only to be
found to-day in Museums. Prepared chalk used instead.
CUBIBS. Cubebs. Piper Cubebae. A pepper, contains an oil largely used
in medicine. Aromatic, pungent, stimulant, and purgative.
DYASCORDIRUM. Diascordium. An electuary which was formerly in high
repute as an antipestilential. The Swedish Pharmacopeia of 1845 had
a formula for this, and the principal ingredient was Herb of Water
Germander (Teucrium Scordium).
EGREMONY. This evidently must be Agrimony. Agrimonia Eupatoria. Flower
yellow. Perennial. Herb used in gargles, also as tea. Celebrated as a
vermifuge.
ENUL-CAMPANE. Inula Helenium. After Officinalis Elecampane. Flower
Yellow. Perennial. Moist pastures. Root aromatic, slightly bitter,
tonic, diaphoretic, stomachic. A decoction of the root used as an
application in several cutaneous diseases, especially those attended
with a troublesome itching.
FAIR WATER. The Oxford English Dictionary, edited by Dr. J. A. H.
Murray, defines fair water as “clean, pure.”
FFILIPENDULA. Spiraea Filipendula. Flower white, tipped with pink.
July. Perennial. Herb astringent, and diuretic. Roots dried and
powdered used for bread in famine. Tonic.
FLOWERS OF TUSSICA. Can this be Coltsfoot? ?Tuffilago Farfara. Used
still as an expectorant in coughs.
FUMETORY. Fumitory-Corydalis. Capnoides. Flower yellow. Very opening,
refreshing, used in cutaneous diseases.
GALLBANUM, plaizsters of. A plaister made of Gum Galbanum, Lead
Plaister, Turpentine, and Frankincense, nearly but not quite obsolete.
Still used in some country districts. The formula was published in the
London Pharmacopeia of 1851.
GWACOMBEWOOD. Guaiacum Officinale. Lignum vitae tree. Wood resinous,
hot, aromatic, diaphoretic, diuretic. Has been used in dropsy and
gout. Is still used in the Compound Decoction of Sarsaparilla.
ISOPE WATER. Hyssop Water.
LAPIS CALAMINARY. Lapis Calaminaris. Calamine. A native impure
carbonate of zinc. Largely used in lotions for all skin diseases.
Nearly all the old cooling lotions for the face contained this
ingredient, generally with rose water and glycerine.
LIETHERIEGIE OF GOLD. A name for Protoxide of Lead. Litharze, the
basis of lead plaister.
MELLILOT. Melilotus Officinalis. Yellow Melilot. Herb pectoral,
discussive, causes the peculiar flavour of the Schabziger or scraped
cheese of Germany. Decoction emolient. Still used in country places in
plaisters, but dying out.
METHRIDATE. Mithridate or Damocrates Confection. An example of
Poly-Pharmacy, it contained between 40 and 50 ingredients, and was
supposed to contain the antidote to every known poison. The formula
was included in the London Pharmacopeia of 1746.
MIROBALENCE. Myrobalanus belerica. Fruit dried and used as an
astringent. Used in India, but not much in this country, except as a
substitute for Galls in ink manufacture.
MUSKADINE. Muscardine. A fungus which grows on silk worms, or
Muscadine, which was a rich spiced wine.
OYLE OF BENN. Oil of Ben. An oil obtained from the seeds of Moringa
Aptera (Egypt and East India), used in perfumery and by watchmakers,
as it does not readily freeze.
PURSLAWE WATER. Probably Purslane. Portulaca Oleracea. Used as a
potherb, cooling, useful in scurvy, and bilious disorders.
RED SANDERS. Red Sandal Wood. Pterocarpus Santalinus. Resinous,
odoriferous, austere, astringent, tonic, used as a red colouring
ingredient in spirituous tinctures.
SANICLE. Sanicula Europaea. Wood Sanicle. Flowers white. May--June
Perennial. Leaves vulnerary, cleaning.
SCORDIUMWOOD. Scordium is the Teucrium Scordium, or Water Germander.
Flowers pale purple. Perennial. Found in wet meadows, rare.
SEYNAC. Probably meant for Senna. Leaves a very welknown purgative.
SNEEZING POWDER ROOT. This is either Achillea Ageratum, Sweet Maudlin,
or Ptarmica Vulgaris. Achillea Ptarmica Sneezewort.
SPERMINT. Mentha Viridis. Spearmint. The ordinary garden mint. The oil
used in medicine.
SPIRITS DIAMBRA. Spirits of Diambar. The name of a stomachic and
cordial, which consisted of Amber, Musk, various aromatics, and other
ingredients.
STORAX. Styrax Officinale. A fragrant resinous balsam obtained from
the tree by incision. A close relative of Gum Benzoin, and is with it
an ingredient of Friar’s Balsam.
TORMENTIL. Potentilla Tormentilla. Sept-foil. Root very astringent,
febrifuge, and not stimulant. Recommended in some cases of diarrhœa.