Κυπάρισσος,
Cupressus, Cypress; the spherical fruit and shoots of it are possessed of desiccative powers, having no sensible heat, so that they agglutinate large wounds in hard bodies. In moist gangrene it consumes deep-seated humours without trouble, and is useful in intestinal hernia.
Commentary. It appears unquestionably to be the Cupressus sempervirens. See Stackhouse (Tab. Syst. in Theophrast.) Its fruit, being of a globular shape, was called σφάιρια by the Greeks and Pilulæ by the Latins. Pliny (H. N. xvii, 14.) Pliny recommends this as a cure for the stings of serpents, and in cases of hæmoptysis. (H. N. xxiv, 10.) Dioscorides and Serapion recommend it in these and various other cases. The cypress-nut is powerfully astringent and balsamic: hence it proves an excellent remedy in diarrhœas and dysenteries, and, as such, it is celebrated by many authors ancient and modern. Dioscorides in particular recommends it for stopping bleeding, for agglutinating wounds, and as an application to erysipelas and anthrax. Galen writes fully of it, but borrows largely from Dioscorides. Serapion does little more than give the notices of it by Dioscorides and Galen. (c. 55.) Avicenna recommends the cypress, and more especially the nut, in various cases requiring astringents, and among others as an application to polypus of the nose; he also speaks favorably of it in cases of hæmoptysis and dysuria. Like the others, he says it is a good application in ruptures. (ii, 2, 146.) See further Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 216.) The cypress is found in the ‘Flora Hippocratica,’ and in that of Celsus. The cypress-nuts are commended as astringents by all our older herbalists, and held a place in our Dispensatory as late as the time of Quincy. (93.)
Κύπερος,
Cyperus, is heating and desiccative, without pungency. Hence it promotes the cicatrization of the more humid ulcers in a wonderful manner, and relieves those in the mouth. It has also some incisive quality, and is lithontriptic, diuretic, and emmenagogue.
Commentary. It is undoubtedly the Cyperus rotundus. Our author’s account of its medicinal uses is taken from Galen, and is confirmed by Serapion, Avicenna, and Rhases. All of them, however, are indebted to Dioscorides, who gives it the character of being calefacient, anastomotic, and diuretic, recommends it in uterine complaints as an emmenagogue, in ulcers of the mouth, and as an ingredient in emollient plasters. (i, 4.) A modern author, Dr. Hill, gives it nearly the same character as the ancients; he calls it stomachic, deobstruent, emmenagogue, and diuretic. It likewise occurs in the Materia Medica of Tournefort, who also calls it deobstruent and emmenagogue. Quincy gives a confused account of it under the name of Cyprus (Engl. Dispens. i, l, 69); see also Lewis. Dioscorides describes also an Indian species having a root resembling ginger. Both Matthiolus and Sprengel are inclined to refer to the Curcuma. We shall have occasion to notice it afterwards, when describing the substances introduced into the Mat. Med. by the Arabians.
Κύπρος,
Ligustrum, Privet; its leaves and tops are possessed of mixed powers, being discutient and astringent, and desiccative without pain or pungency. Hence the decoction of it, when poured on a part, is useful for burns, and agrees with inflammations of a hot nature. When chewed it also relieves aphthæ, and is mixed up with splenic remedies.
Commentary. We must decline entering upon the general literature of this subject, which has created a good deal of discussion. Suffice it to say, that we have now no hesitation in deciding it to be the Lawsonia inermis, namely, the plant from which the henna of Egypt is obtained. See Lindley’s Veg. King. (575.) It is used by females for staining their hands and feet of an orange colour. Dioscorides mentions that an infusion of its leaves in the juice of saponaria, or soapwort, was used for painting the hairs yellow. He says of the ointment prepared from it (unguentum cyprinum), that it is calefacient, emollient, and fragrant. (i, 124.) Galen, Aëtius, and Oribasius give it the same characters as our author. The Arabians describe it under the name of alcanna, which seems to be henna with an Arabic prefix. See in particular Serapion (De Simpl. 110), and Avicenna (ii, 2, 50.) Both copy freely from Dioscorides and Galen. They say its virtues in female complaints are similar to those of the Sanguis Draconis. All praise it as a vulnerary herb, and a good application in cases of burning. They further commend it in pleurisy and quinsy as a plaster. Ebn Baithar treats of it at very great length. (i, 338.) It would appear that the privet is still used as a medicine and dye by the native physicians of Hindostan. See a very interesting account of it in Ainslie’s Mat. Indica (ii, 190.)