Malabathrum; the leaf of it has powers like the spikenard.
Commentary. Dr. Ainslie, treating of the Cassia Lignea, or Cassia bark, says, “the narrow-pointed leaves of the Laurus Cassia, as well as the oblong, ovate, shining leaves of the Cinnamon-tree, are sold in the Indian bazaars under the names of lawangapatery and tejpat, from a notion that they are the leaves of the Laurus Cassia. In commerce these leaves are called Folia Indica, or Malabathra, a name which more especially applies to the leaves of the Laurus Cassia.” (Med. Ind. § 35.) Geoffroy, Sprengel, and Royle also agree in holding the Cassia, or Cinnamon-leaf, to be the Folium Indicum. Dr. Sontheimer, then, in his translation of Ibn Baithar, makes it to be a peculiar species of Laurus, calling it Laurus Malabathrum, and Dr. Pereira does the same. In the modern Greek Pharmacopœia, the query is put whether the Cassia-buds be the product of Laurus Cassia, or L. Malabathrum. Isidorus says of it, “Folium dictum quod sine ulla radice innatans in Indiæ littoribus colligitur.” (Orig. xviii, 9.) It is always simply called Folium by Apicius. Horace applies the word to an ointment. “Malabathro Syrio capillos,” (Od. ii, 7); on which passage his commentator, Porphyrion, remarks, “Malabathrum unguenti speciem esse scimus.” This is the Unguentum Malabathrinum of Dioscorides. (i, 76.) The ancients, as Dr. Hill remarks, have said much of the virtues of Malabathrum. They call it stomachic, sudorific, and cephalic. Dioscorides ascribes to it all the virtues of the Indian spikenard; but he says it possesses them in a superior degree. He also mentions it as a scent. (i, 11.) Galen and the other Greek authorities, like our author, dismiss it with a brief notice, comparing it to spikenard. The Arabians treat of it at greater length, but do little more, after all, than copy the characters of it given by Dioscorides. See Avicenna (ii, 2, 253); Serapion (c. 53.) It occurs only once in the works of Celsus (v, 23), as an ingredient, in one of his antidotes; and does not occur at all, we believe, in the Hippocratic Collection.
Μαλάχη,
Malva, Mallows; the wild is moderately discutient and emollient; but the garden, as being more moistening, is also weaker. Its fruit, however, is as much stronger as it is drier.
Commentary. There seems no reason to doubt that it applies to Malva sylvestris, but probably comprehended other species. Dioscorides describes minutely the cases to which it is applicable, namely, as a cataplasm in incipient fistula lachrymalis, with oil for achores and furfures, and also so prepared for burns and erysipelas; its decoction as a hip-bath in diseases of the uterus; and as a suitable enema in pains of the bowels, womb, and anus; its broth he praises in cases of poisoning, as producing evacuation of the stomach, and says it is beneficial to persons stung by phalangia, and attracts milk to the breasts; its fruit, when the reed of the wild lotus is mixed with it, allays pains about the bladder. (ii, 144.) Galen and the other Greek authorities treat of it as a medicine in more general terms, representing it to be gently discutient and demulcent. It occurs in the works of Hippocrates and Celsus; the latter praises it as a pot-herb, and recommends it as a gentle laxative. (vii, 27.) The Arabians treat of it fully; but have little to add to the excellent description of its medicinal powers given by Dioscorides, whom they all copy. One of Serapion’s authorities briefly commends it as a demulcent in affections of the chest and bladder, and as a cataplasm in hot apostemes. (c. 149.) Avicenna’s account of it is highly interesting, but too lengthy for our purpose. He recommends it internally in complaints of the lungs and liver, and externally as an emollient application in a variety of cases. (ii, 2, 194.)
Μαμιρὰς,
Mamiras, is a sort of radicle of a herb, having, as it were, thick knots, which are believed to attenuate cicatrices and leucomata, being of a decidedly detergent power.
Commentary. This article is not mentioned by Dioscorides, Pliny, Galen, Oribasius, nor, we believe, by any of the Arabian writers, with the exception of Avicenna, who calls it abstergent and cleansing, and recommends it for clearing away albugo of the eye, and for cleaning the nails; he adds of it that it is useful in jaundice and pungent pain of the belly. (ii, 2, 479.) It further occurs in one of the antidotes of Nicholas Myrepsus (c. 138), where, his commentator says, the description of it given by Paulus applies very well to the root known officinally by the name of Doronicum.