Nux Methel.
We have briefly alluded to this substance (Datura Methel) as a poison elsewhere. ([Vol. II, 241.]) Serapion, quoting from Arabian authorities, compares its nut to the nux vomica, and its seed to that of mandragora: its bark, he adds, is rough, its taste pleasant and unctuous, and its virtues cold in the fourth degree; if given in a small dose (kirat or siliqua?) it intoxicates strongly, and if two drachms are given it proves fatal at once. Rhases, as quoted by him, says it is a narcotic, a sedative, and perhaps emetic medicine, and that it proves fatal in large doses, and in small intoxicates. He directs its pernicious effects to be counteracted by taking warm butter, and thus producing vomiting, and otherwise treating the case in the same manner as in poisoning by mandragora. (De Simpl. 375.) Rhases, in his work entitled ‘Ad Mansor.,’ says of the nut methel, that it is a dangerous medicine, which induces stupor, nausea, vomiting, and inebriety. (iii, 30.) His account of it in his ‘Continens’ is very brief. Avicenna describes it in his ‘Mat. Med.’ as being a nut similar to the nux vomica, and having seed like the citron (?). Like the others, he says it inebriates, induces stupor, and is inimical to the brain and heart. In the dose of a drachm he says it proves fatal. (ii, 2, 501.) Ebn Baithar’s authorities give a full account of it, but differing little from the others already given. One of them says, that a drachm will kill on the spot, and in small doses it induces stupor, vomiting, and loss of sense. They direct these bad effects to be counteracted by the administration of an emetic of natron (soda), by giving wine and pepper, and keeping up the heat of the body. The Hindoo physicians held that it is alexiterial. See Susruta and Wise (Hindoo Med.)
An excellent modern authority says of the Datura Metel, that “its seeds are narcotic, more powerful than the Datura Stramomium, and produce temporary idiotcy.” Gray (Suppl. to Pharm. 52.) Dr. Lindley, after describing the Datura Stramonium as a violent narcotic, says of the Metel, that it has a similar action. (Veg. Kingd. 619.) Comparing, then, the effects of the Nux Methel, as described by the ancient authorities with those of the Datura Methel, as given by those recent authorities, we cannot hesitate in recognising their identity.
Rachaba, or Nux Mechil.
One of Serapion’s authorities states that an Arab had told him that it is a great tree, like the nut-tree, having leaves like a great fig, and fruit like small pomegranates, and speaks very indistinctly about its being Pharoah’s nut; but it is difficult, from his language, to make out what he says on that point. He says it is sweet, has a pleasant smell, and is eaten by shepherds and others. He mentions that some had confounded it with the nux vomica; but he concludes by saying that whoever will compare the descriptions of the rachaba and nux vomica must see the difference. (De Simpl. 164.) From this description it is quite clear that this cannot be the nux vomica, but rather one of the eatable figs, probably the ficus benjamina.
Nux Henden, or Banden.
See Serapion (De Simpl. 79) and Avicenna (ii, 2, 496.) According to the latter it is a grainy mass, like the vetch, white, inclining to yellow, which is brought from Barea and Chorasan, and of which a wine is made with honey. He quotes Paulus (by some mistake we suppose) as saying of it that it is refrigerant, extinguishes inflammation, and is slightly desiccant. It suppresses fluxes of blood, fattens, cures impetigo, and is aphrodisiac. Serapion’s authorities give a more lengthy description of it, but do not supply many more particulars. Rhases, one of them, calls it the fat of the earth, and the rock of the earth, and another calls it pigeon’s root. They all agree that it makes an excellent wine, which forms semen, fattens the body, and is aphrodisiac. They also state that it stops fluxes, and causes vomiting. Ebn Baithar’s account of it is nearly the same as Serapion’s. He says it is called honey earth in Andalusia. (i, 274.) Sprengel suggests—how correctly we leave it to our readers who are better acquainted with the productions of the East than we can pretend to be, to determine—that it is the Garcinia Mangostena, or Mangosteen, a fruit which has the reputation of being the finest in the world. The description of it, given by Serapion, as far as we can judge of it from the barbarous Latin translation, would certainly seem to agree in some striking points with that of the mangosteen. Compare it with ‘Loudon, Encycl. of Gardening,’ 1531.
Meisce, or Mes.
See Serapion (De Simpl. c. 116); Avicenna (ii, 2, 481); Ebn Baithar (ii, 465.) It is described at some length, and in nearly the same terms by all these authors. They call it a small grain like a vetch, of a green colour, and say that some used it for fasils, and that it was wholesome but not very nutritious. They say of it that it is cold, and rather desiccant, useful in catarrhs and coughs, and as a plaster to bruised and torn parts. In our edition of Serapion it is marked as mango in a very old looking hand-writing, and it is recognised as the Phaseolus mango by Sprengel (R. H. H. i, 266), and by the German translator of Ebn Baithar.