Commentary. Apuleius says “Comaron Græci, Romani fragum vocant.” It is the Arbutus Unedo or Wild Strawberry Tree, which must not be confounded with the Fragaria vesca, L., Angl., Wood Strawberry. It seems difficult to account for its holding a place in the ancient Materia Medica, since all the authorities, like Paulus, speak unfavorably of its medicinal powers. See Dioscorides and Galen.
Κόμμι,
Gummi, Gum, is of a desiccative and emplastic nature, and manifestly cures asperities (hoarseness?).
Commentary. For an account of the ancient gums see Pliny (H. N. xiii, 20.) He says the best kind is got from the Egyptian thorn or Acacia; this must have been either the Acacia vera, L., or Acacia Senegal. Galen delivers the medicinal character of gum in the same terms as our author, and the other Greek authorities do the same. Dioscorides recommends the gum of the acacia (gum-arabic?) as possessing emplastic powers, and for blunting acrid medicines when mixed with them. He adds that, when mixed with the white of an egg, it prevents blisters from rising on burnt parts. (i, 133.) The Arabians concur in recommending gum-arabic as being beneficial in hot coughs, in ulcers of the lungs, and for clearing the voice; they also held it to be stomachic and theriacal. See Avicenna (ii, 2, 310); Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 345); and Serapion (c. 229.)
Κονία,
Lixivium, Lye; the washings, as it were, of ashes are so named. The most detergent and desiccative of all are those made from the ashes of figs and of the spurges, so that they are possessed of almost septic powers. If a little quicklime be added to the ashes it renders the lye caustic, which is then called protostactos, being mixed up principally with medicines administered by injection. But the strongest of all is that prepared from quicklime alone.
Commentary. We have given some account of the Lixivial Ashes or Lyes of the ancients in [the 9th section of Book VI]. They were all of them preparations of potass mixed up with various impurities. The term was applied not only to the solution, but also to the dried cineres of the same. Even quicklime is sometimes called by this name: κονία ἢ ἄσβεστος. (Scholiastes in Theocrit. Idyll. i.) The Cinis lixivius of the fig-tree is the one most frequently mentioned of them. See Pliny (H. N. xv, 18); Geopon. (v, 33); Dioscorides (i, 186); Serapion (183); and Avicenna (ii, 2, 188.) Avicenna recommends the lye of the mezerion in quinsy and affections of the eye. See also Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 214.) The protostactos was a composition of potass and lime. (See [Book VI, s. 9].) On the alkalies or Cineres lixivii of the ancients, see further, Dutens (Découvertes attrib. aux Modern. 187.)
Κόνυζα,
Conyza, Fleabane; both species of it are desiccant and calefacient in the third degree. Hence, even the oil in which it is boiled stops periodical rigors; and the flowers have similar powers. The decoction of them promotes menstruation, and expels the fœtus. That which grows in moist situations is more fetid and has weaker powers.
Commentary. There is considerable difficulty in determining exactly the conyzæ of the ancients. See Parkinson (Theatre of Plants, i, 44), and Sprengel (Ad Dioscor. iii, 126.) The preponderance of authority seems to lead to the conclusion that they all were species of Inula, namely, the greater I. viscosa, Act., the lesser Inula saxatilis, and the third, I. oculus Christi. The conyzæ were employed in medicine at a very early period, being frequently mentioned in the Hippocratic treatises. See Dierbach, who, however, has decided differently from us as to the plants to which the conyzæ are referable. He marks the fetid conyza as being Ambrosia maritima, and the fragrant as Inula bifrons. The greater conyza of Dioscorides would appear to be the cunilago of Pliny (H. N., xx, 63), where see the note of Harduin. Our author follows Dioscorides and Galen, who agree in the main as to the medicinal properties of these plants. All the authorities concur in opinion that the greater conyza is emmenagogue, and procures abortion in pessaries. Ebn Baithar seems to treat of it rather confusedly under the head of Thuback. (ii, 150.) Few, if any, of the other Arabians have noticed it; and it is not contained in the Greek Pharmacopœia.