Μαστίχη,
Mastiche, Mastich; the Chian is heating and dessicant in the second degree; but it is possessed of complicated powers, being at the same time astringent and emollient; hence it agrees with inflammations of the œsophagus and stomach, and those of the intestines and liver; but the Egyptian, being darker, is more desiccant and discutient, and less astringent; wherefore it discusses furunculi.
Commentary. Mastich is correctly described as the resin of the lentiscus by Dioscorides (i, 90), and Pliny (H. N. xxiv, 28.) Both mention that it is used in the formation of agglutinative plasters for the cure of trichiasis. Serapion joins the Greek authorities in recommending it for hæmoptysis. Its use in medicine is as old as the time of Hippocrates. The “resina ex lentisco” is an ingredient in one of the discutient plasters recommended by Celsus for the cure of phymata. (v, 18, 22.) Honain, one of Serapion’s authorities, recommends it in inflammations of the stomach, and in cough. Another of them says of it, that when mixed with aloes it forms a good masticatory. (c. 183.)
Μέλαν,
Atramentum; the Indian, as Dioscorides says, is of the class of slightly refrigerating medicines, and of those which occasion the rupture of phlegmons and swellings, and cleanse ulcers.
Commentary. Dioscorides describes two distinct substances by the name of Ἰνδικόν. The one is the vegetable pigment, still called Indigo; the other was probably a red mineral of copper, some variety, we suppose, of the mineral called “tetrahedral red copper ore” by Jameson, or “red oxide of copper” of Philips. Dioscorides recommends it in much the same cases as our author. (v, 107.) The other Greek authorities scarcely treat of it. Our author seems evidently to refer to Indian ink. The Arabians confound together the dye-producing plants, and accordingly treat of the woad (Isatis tinctoria) along with the plant which produces indigo. See Serapion (c. 47), and under [Isatis] in this section. Averrhoes’s description is very indistinct, so that it is difficult to know what to make of his Indicum. (Collig. v, 42.) Avicenna in one place alludes to the mineral pinguent of our author, which he calls Tinctura Inda. (ii, 2, 689.) We beg to refer our readers to Beckmann’s ‘History of Inventions’ for much curious information under the head of Indigo.
Μελαντηρία,
Atramentum metallicum, is powerfully astringent with subtilty of parts.
Commentary. Dioscorides gives a pretty circumstantial description of three or four varieties of it, and yet none of them can be recognized with any degree of certainty. One thing only is certain, that they must all have contained more or less of copper, being found in mines of copper. As far as we can judge, the mineral named “ferruginous arseniate of copper” by Cleaveland, is the most likely to be the melanteria of Dioscorides. He says it has the same caustic powers as misy. (v, 117.) Galen calls it only powerfully astringent and of subtile parts; and hence Sprengel inclines to set down his melanteria as being different from that of Dioscorides; but between the action of a strong astringent and a weak caustic, the distinction is not great. In describing the melanteria, Aëtius follows Galen, and Oribasius Dioscorides. There is no mention of it in the works of Hippocrates, Celsus, and Pliny. The Arabians confuse their description of it by mixing together those of misy, chalcitis, and sori along with it, under the head of Atramentum sutorium. See Avicenna (ii, 2, 47.) Serapion also fails to give any distinct account of it. (De Miner.)