Rhases recommends vomiting by means of water, honey, and fossil salt; after which sweet wine is to be given, and vinegar and rose-oil poured upon the head; castor, pepper, and rue are to be administered, along with sternutatories. He mentions, however, that he knew an old medical man who cured a young woman, who had fallen into a state of syncope, with flushing of the face, after swallowing the apples of mandragora, by the affusion of snow-water on her head. Avicenna properly directs everything to be done to prevent sleep.
Schulze is satisfied that it is the atropa mandragora of Linnæus. There seems no doubt, however, that the mandragora of Theophrastus is the atropa belladonna; while the mandragora mas of Dioscorides is the mandragora vernalis, Bertol.; and the M. femina of the same, the mandragora autumnalis.
Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Galen, Athenæus, Aëtius, Suidas, Hesychius, Apuleius, Pollux, and Frontinus, have made mention of the hypnotic property of mandragora. It is singular that it should now have fallen into neglect. It appears to have been used as a medicine in the days of Shakespeare. Iago says:
“Not poppy nor mandragora
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owed’st yesterday.”
Othello.
We will have occasion to treat of it in the [Seventh Book].