Commentary. Dioscorides and Pliny recommend the Anagyris fœtida for promoting the pains of labour, and the expulsion of the placenta after delivery. It is curious to remark that our old herbalists ascribe the same virtues to it. It was therefore to our forefathers in the profession what the ergot of rye is to the present generation; being, according to Galen, an acrid, diaphoretic, and heating substance, its action must, in many respects, have resembled the ergot. With the exception of Oribasius, who merely copies Dioscorides, we are not aware of any ancient writer that treats of it, with the exception of Ebn Baithar, and he also merely copies the descriptions of it given by Dioscorides and Galen. Though excluded from our Dispensatory, this article is not wholly unknown to the shops. See Gray (Suppl. to Pharm. 93.)
Ἀνδράχνη,
Portulaca, Purslain, is cooling in the third degree, but humectates in the second; and by these powers it relieves heat of the stomach when applied to the abdomen, and dispels defluxions. By its viscidity it smooths the teeth when set on edge by acids; and by its astringency it relieves dysentery and hemorrhages.
Commentary. Aëtius, like our author, describes the purslane (Portulaca oleracea) as a cooling and sub-astringent herb. Both he and our author copy from Galen, who writes earnestly in commendation of this plant, which retained its place in our English Dispensatories down to a late date. Dioscorides likewise writes fully on its virtues, recommending it as a cooling and astringent medicine, externally, in pains of the head, inflammations of the eyes &c., and internally, for inflammations of the bowels, intestinal worms, hæmoptysis, hemorrhoids, and various other cases. (ii, 150.) Celsus also calls it an astringent and cooling herb. (ii.) For the Arabians, see Serapion (c. 349); Avicenna (ii, 2, 534); Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 563); Averrhoes (Collig. v, 42.) They treat of it in nearly the same terms as the Greeks.
Ἀνδρόσαιμον,
Androsæmum, Tutsan, or Park-leaves, (or St. John’s wort?); there are two varieties of it, the one of which is called ascyrron and ascyrroides, being a species of hypericon, but the other is named dionysias. Their fruit is purgative, but their leaves more desiccant.
Commentary. Our Tutsan or Park-leaves has been generally set down as this plant, but Sibthorp, who viewed the plants of classic lands on the spot, inclines to the Hypericum ciliatum. The truth of the matter we believe to be that as the Hypericum is a numerous genus, and the species have a close resemblance to one another, they were often confounded together by the older authorities. Both Culpeper the herbalist and Rutty have expressed their wonder that so important an article as the androsæmum should have been lost sight of in recent times. Pliny, and all the medical authorities, recommend it strongly as an application to burns and ulcers, and ascribe cholagogue powers to it when administered internally. See Dioscorides (iii, 163); Galen (De Simpl. v); Aëtius (i); Oribasius (Med. Coll. xiii); Ebn Baithar (ii, 579); Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 59.) The last two merely give extracts from Dioscorides and Galen.
Ἀνδρόσακες,
Androsaces, is a bitter and acrid herb, discutient and desiccative. It and its fruit, when drunk, are diuretic.