Commentary. It appears strange that this mineral should now be so little known, seeing it was well known as late as the days of Boerhaave, and is still used medicinally in the East. Boerhaave says of it, “Misy, a yellow mineral very much resembling the marcasite or mundick of our mines, but lighter, and of a less compact nature.... It is a vitriolic mineral, and is reduced by calcination to a colcothar.” (M. M. 184.) Dr. Ainslie, treating of the preparations of copper employed in medicine by the natives of India, says, “Misy is the name of an oxide of copper used by the natives of India against the toothache, and to stain their teeth black.” (Mat. Ind. i, 513.) Dr. Royle, treating of the misy and sory of Dioscorides, states that they had been supposed by Rossius to be sulphurets of copper, “but it is remarkable that mis is a Persian name for copper, and that missy is a name frequently applied in India to sulphate of iron.” (Antiq. of Hindoo Med. 102.) From these descriptions of it we find some difficulty in deciding what mineral substance it was; but see under [Chalcitis]. The following is Dioscorides’s description of the misy: “Of a golden appearance, hard, shining like gold when broken, and glancing like stars.” (v, 116.) He says it has the same powers as chalcitis. Galen gives an elaborate description of misy and its cognate fossils sory and chalcitis, but says little more than our author respecting its medicinal powers. (De Simpl. viii.) The other Greek authorities supply nothing additional of any great interest under this head. Serapion describes the three substances we have mentioned under the general head “de vitreola,” calling the sory Zeg rubeum, the chalcitis colcothar, and the misy Zeg viride. His account of them is taken entirely from Dioscorides and Galen. (c. 386.) Avicenna confounds them and other metallic preparations under the name of “Atramentum sutorium.” He throws no light on the subject. (ii, 2, 47.) See Rhases (Cont l. ult. 747.) Averrhoes, under the head of Alceg, i. e. Vitriolum, gives a translation of Galen’s description already noticed. (Collig. v, 43.) Misy occurs in the works both of Hippocrates and Celsus. The latter uses it as a caustic. (v, 8, 9.)
Μολύβδαινα,
Plumbago, has similar powers to litharge, but removed from the middle temperament to the colder.
Commentary. Several varieties of the Molybdæna are described by Dioscorides, from which it would appear that the ancients applied the term to more than one metallic substance; the variety resembling litharge being most probably graphite or plumbago; and the one of a leaden colour, being the molybdate of lead, or “yellow lead-spar” of Jameson. It is named Galena by his translators, but whether it, that is to say, the sulphuret of lead, was also comprehended under it we are unable to determine. The molybdæna occurs in the works of Hippocrates. Dioscorides recommends it as being incarnative and epulotic in plasters. Galen and the other Greek authorities treat of its medicinal powers succinctly like our author. None of the Arabians appear to have distinguished the molybdæna properly from litharge.
Μόλυβδος,
Plumbum, Lead, is possessed of refrigerant powers, and has also a considerably humid substance congealed by the cold. If wine, the oil of unripe grapes, or any of the cooling juices be rubbed with it, it will make an excellent application for ulcerous inflammations about the pudenda and anus. A plate of lead worn upon the loins restrains libidinous dreams; and a piece of lead put upon ganglia discusses them. Burnt lead being more desiccative, is also somewhat acrid. If washed it becomes desiccative without pungency, and makes a good application for ill-conditioned ulcers.
Commentary. We have already treated of this article as a poison. ([Book V, 62.]) The ancients distinguished lead into two kinds, the black and the white. Of these the latter is the same as the cassiteros, that is to say, tin. The other comprehended several of our native ores of lead. Both kinds are described in the works of Hippocrates and of Celsus. (v, 26, v, 18, &c.) See also particularly, Pliny (xxxiv, 47) and Isidorus (Orig. xvi, 21), who have given accurate descriptions of the ancient varieties of lead. Dioscorides, Galen, and Serapion agree in describing it as a powerfully cooling or refrigerant medicine. Galen’s account of it is lengthy but interesting. (De Simpl. ix.) Oribasius says that it forms an excellent application to irritable and malignant sores. Dioscorides recommends washed lead very much in rheums of the eye. He gives a very circumstantial description of the process of preparing washed lead. He further says of it, that it is a good styptic, and an excellent application to fungated sores, hemorrhoids, condylomata, and ulcers about the anus. Averrhoes treats of it in nearly the same terms as our author. (Collig. v, 43.) The Arabians, in general, prescribe it, in imitation of Galen, as an application to cancer. See Averrhoes (l. c.) and Avicenna (ii, 2, 12.) The latter joins Dioscorides in praising lead as an application to the eyes. Serapion gives a very full account of this article in extracts from Dioscorides and Galen. (De Simpl. 419.) See also Rhases (Contin. l. ult. i, 556); Ebn Baithar (ii, 128, et pluries.)
Μοράια,
Morus nigra, the Mulberry-tree; the fruit, when ripe, loosens the belly, and is useful in all complaints of the mouth which require a moderate degree of astringency. The unripe, when dried, becomes a very styptic medicine. The bark of the root of the tree is also purgative, with a certain degree of bitterness; hence it kills the broad intestinal worm. The leaves and tender shoots hold an intermediate place between purgatives and astringents.
Commentary. There can be no doubt that it is the Ficus Morus, L., or the Black Mulberry-tree. It is the συκάμινος of Theophrastus, which, however, was sometimes applied by others to the sycamore. See Celsus (iii, 18.) The mulberry is commended by Pliny as an antidote to poisons, as it is in like manner by Dioscorides. The latter calls it laxative of the bowels, but an article readily spoiled, and bad for the stomach. He also ascribes astringent powers to its juice, which, he says, when mixed with a little honey is useful in defluxious, spreading ulcers, and inflamed tonsils. He also praises the leaves when pounded with oil, as a good cataplasm to burns. He speaks of it also as being used for dyeing the hair, and the decoction of its leaves as a gargle for toothache. (i, 180.) Galen’s account of it is the same as our author’s, by whom it is abridged. Aëtius treats of it fully as an article of food, but briefly as a medicine. He says, when taken upon a clean stomach, it proves an excellent article of food; but the very reverse when the stomach is loaded and contains any noxious humours. The Arabians, in treating of it, follow Dioscorides and Galen. See Avicenna (ii, 2, 491); Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 201); Serapion (De Simpl. 132.) The mulberry is described as a medicine by all our old herbalists, and was retained in the Dispensatory until after the time of Quincy. (94, 198.)