Fæx Vini, the Lees of Wine, when unburnt is compounded, being decidedly desiccative and discutient. But astringency is superadded according to the species of wine from which it is formed. It is, therefore, to be used in complaints of a humid nature and fluxes. It discusses phygethla, and extinguishes the milk in over-distended breasts. The burnt lees become caustic, so as often to be mixed with caustic applications. It, therefore, removes leprous nails with rosin, and dyes the hair yellow, when rubbed for a whole night with oil of lentisk. When washed it is used as an ingredient in the detergent remedies of the eyes; that of vinegar is stronger in every respect than the lees of wine, and more astringent.
Commentary. The lees of wine and of vinegar are strong preparations of potass, and were among the most powerful caustics with which the ancients were acquainted. Hence Celsus ranks “fæx combusta” among the “adurentia.” (v, 8.) Dioscorides is the ancient author who gives the fullest description of this article. He says the best is that procured from old Italian wine, or, failing it, from any similar wine; and that the fæx aceti is possessed of intense powers. Some, he says, burn it upon fresh shells, and some upon heated coals. He says it is possessed of strongly caustic, detergent, escharotic, styptic, very septic and desiccative powers. The fæx, must be used when recent, for it soon evaporates, and hence it must not be left uncovered, nor without its vessel. It is washed like pompholyx. The unburnt, he adds, discusses tumours by itself, and with myrtle; when applied as a cataplasm it represses defluxions of the belly and stomach; and when applied in like manner to the lower part of the abdomen and genitals, it mitigates the female fluor; it dissipates hard tumours which are not ulcerated; when rubbed in with vinegar, it represses swelled breasts; the burnt with rosin, removes leprous nails; rubbed in with oil of privet for a whole night, it makes the hairs yellow; when washed, it is applicable in diseases of the eyes, like spodos, and thus clears away cicatrices and clouds on the eye. (v, 131.) Pliny recommends it likewise as an application to various cutaneous diseases, and complaints of the eyes. He commends it as an antidote to mushrooms. The lees of vinegar, he says, are more escharotic. Its strength, he says, is increased by being burnt. When applied on a tent it cleans the genital organ of females. (H. N. xxiii, 32.) See in like manner Plinius Valer. (iii, 51.) Avicenna directs us to keep the lees in a close vessel, and not expose them to the air. He says that the fæx aceti is a medicine of great powers, and stronger than any of the others. In short, his account of the lees of wine and vinegar is almost entirely borrowed from Dioscorides (ii, 2, 241.) Rhases, in like manner, copies from Dioscorides and our author. (Cont. l. ult. i, 296.) See Serapion (De Simpl. 36); Ebn Baithar (i, 419.)
Τρωγλοδυτης,
Troglodyta, is a Sparrow, the smallest of all birds, with the exception of the one called regulus; and living principally in hedges. This animal when pickled, and eaten either roasted or raw, breaks down stones in the kidneys; and its ashes when burnt, if taken in a draught, do the same thing.
Commentary. We have mentioned in [Book III], that this small species of sparrow was supposed to possess great powers as a lithontriptic. Drelincurtius calls it the wren. (Mangeti Bibl. Chirurg. i, 254.) We, however, are inclined to think that it was the Accentor modularis or hedge-sparrow. Our author, as far as we have been able to discover, is the only one of the authorities who has included this animal in the Materia Medica; but he borrows his description of it from Aëtius, (iii, 3, 11.)
Τυρος,
Caseus, Cheese; that which is new made, and soft, has repellent powers, cooling gently, so as when applied to agglutinate wounds. That called oxygalactinus acquires slightly discutient powers in addition, and is more agglutinative of wounds. Old cheese, especially such as is fatty, becomes discutient, so as to be a fit application to tophi in arthritic complaints, particularly along with the decoction of swines’ flesh pickled and fat.
Commentary. Our author’s account of the medicinal properties of Cheese is mostly abridged from Galen. The kind called oxygalactinus is the same, we suppose, as the “Caseus acidus cum oxymelite” of Pliny. (H. N. xxviii, 34.) Galen says that it was used about Pergamus; see also Dioscorides (ii, 79.) According to Avicenna, fresh cheese is a good application to recent ulcers, and old cheese to ill-conditioned ulcers. He recommends cheese with the brine of bacon as a discutient application to arthritic chalk-stones. He speaks favorably of fresh cheese as an application in ophthalmia. (ii, 2, 123.) He treats more fully of this article than any other writer on the Mat. Med., with the exception of Ebn Baithar, who gives a long dissertation on the properties of cheese, both as an article of food and as a medicine. (i, 239.) Serapion merely gives extracts from Dioscorides and Galen. (De Simpl. 157.)
Ὑάκινθος,
Hyacinthus, Hyacinth; its root being bulbous-shaped belongs to the first order of desiccants and the second of refrigerants. If applied in a cataplasm with wine, it is believed to keep children long from coming to puberty. The fruit is gently detergent and astringent. It is, therefore, given in cases of jaundice with wine, being more desiccative but less refrigerant.