SECT. L.—ON THE SARDONIAN HERB.
The herb called the Sardonian is a species of ranunculus, when drunk, or eaten, it brings on disorder of the intellect, and convulsions with contraction of the lips, so as to exhibit the appearance of laughter. From this affection that ill-omened expression, the Sardonian laugh, took its rise. In these cases, therefore, after vomiting, it will be proper to give honied water and milk, with embrocations and lubrications of the whole body, by calefacient remedies; and to have recourse to hot-baths of hot oil and water, and to anoint properly and rub them after the baths; and, upon the whole, to conduct the treatment as for convulsions.
Commentary. Dioscorides and our author are perfectly agreed as to the symptoms and treatment. Aëtius recommends, likewise, castor with sweet wine. Solinus, like our author, says that it brings on contractions of the muscles, and the risus Sardonicus. Avicenna acknowledges his ignorance of the nature and proper treatment of this herb, but supposes that it belongs to the class of acute poisons. There seems, however, no reason to doubt that it was a species of ranunculus. Schulze makes it the ranunculus sceleratus, L., which bears the English name of celery-leaved crowfoot; and we are clearly of the same opinion, although Avicenna seems to make a distinction between the Sardonian herb and the kebekengi, or apium risus, which is the βατράχιον of Dioscorides. See Alsaharavius (Pract. xxx, i, 39.)