I think it necessary to say a few words in explanation of the reason why the reader will find in the Commentary contained in this, my concluding volume, some deviation from the plan upon which the Commentaries in the two preceding volumes were executed.
In the Advertisement to the First Volume it is stated that, by the advice of the Council of the Sydenham Society, I had restricted the history which I gave of professional opinions on the various subjects treated of in the course of my work to what is properly called the period of ancient literature, and to this rule it will accordingly be observed that I have generally adhered, except in a few instances, where a departure from it seemed to be demanded for the sake of illustration, or for some other special object. But in dealing with the subject-matter of the present volume, namely, the Materia Medica and Pharmacy of the ancients, it became apparent to me from the first that a different plan of proceeding was indispensable, otherwise the usefulness of the whole work to the ordinary reader would be very much impaired. It is well known how frequently the nomenclature of the sciences connected with these subjects has changed, and what differences of opinion have prevailed with regard to many of the substances used in the practice of medicine by the ancients. In order, therefore, to render the information contained in this and the preceding volumes of ready access for practical purposes, it appeared to me necessary to bring down the annotations to modern times, so that one might see at once what is the exact import of the ancient terms of art, and what the medicinal substances mentioned in the course of the work actually were, according to the nomenclature of the present age. Accordingly it will be found that the Commentary in this volume abounds in references to modern authorities, and contains a variety of materials collected, not only from the earlier herbalists and commentators on Dioscorides, Theophrastus, and other ancient authors, but likewise from recent writers on Botany, Mineralogy, and the Materia Medica, in illustration of the various articles which are treated of in this work. And I have much satisfaction in having it in my power to state that the plan now described has the authority and sanction of the Council, who gave it their entire approval. To Dr. Pereira I owe my grateful acknowledgment for much valuable advice and assistance received from him on this part of my work; but at the same time it is fair to him to state I have no right to make him in anywise responsible for opinions herein advanced which may turn out to be erroneous.
And now, having brought my laborious undertaking to a conclusion, I would embrace the present opportunity of returning my most sincere expression of thanks to the Council for the honour which they conferred upon me in selecting my work for publication, and for the very flattering terms in which they speak of the first volume in the Annual Report of their proceedings for 1845. I trust that whatever degree of merit they discovered in it will be found not to be wanting in the succeeding parts, and that, taken together, the three volumes will be acknowledged to constitute a more copious repertory of ancient opinions on professional subjects than is to be found elsewhere. If such be the judgment which the intelligent members of the Sydenham Society shall generally pronounce on my work, I shall certainly never regret the time and exertions which I have bestowed upon it.
τοιόν δ’ ἀπέβη τόδε πρᾶγμα,
F. A.
Banchory, June 21st, 1847.
CONTENTS
OF
THE THIRD VOLUME.
| [SEVENTH BOOK.] | ||
| SECT. | PAGE | |
| 1. | On the Temperaments of Substances as indicated by their Tastes | [1] |
| 2. | On the Order and Degrees of the Temperaments | [2] |
| On the powers of simple medicines | [6] | |
| 3. | On the Powers of Simples individually | [17] |
| Appendix to the Third Section—On the Substances introduced into the Materia Medica by the Arabians | [424] | |
| 4. | On Simple Purgative Medicines | [480] |
| On those things which evacuate bile | [481] | |
| Medicines which evacuate black bile | [483] | |
| Medicines which evacuate phlegm | [ib.] | |
| Medicines which evacuate water | [484] | |
| On cholagogues | [489] | |
| On melanogogues | [491] | |
| On phlegmagogues | [492] | |
| On hydragogues | [ib.] | |
| 5. | On Compound Purgatives | [493] |
| 6. | On the Management of those who take Purgative Medicines; and what is to be done to those who are not purged by a proper dose of Purgatives | [497] |
| 7. | On the Treatment of Hypercatharsis | [499] |
| 8. | On the Antidotes called Hieræ | [500] |
| 9. | On Liniments to be applied to the Anus, and purgative Applications to the Navel | [502] |
| 10. | On Emetics | [503] |
| Modes of administering hellebore | [504] | |
| 11. | On the different kinds of Antidotes | [510] |
| 12. | On Trochisks, or Troches | [528] |
| 13. | On Dry Applications and Abstergents (Smegmata) | [536] |
| 14. | On Liniments to the Mouth and Throat | [541] |
| 15. | On Delicious and Officinal Potions | [544] |
| 16. | On Collyria and Agglutinative Applications | [548] |
| 17. | On Plasters, and those things which are added to the boiling of them, from the Works of Antyllus, and on the proportion of wax to oil | [558] |
| 18. | On Emollient Plasters and Epithemes | [576] |
| 19. | On Restorative Ointments (Acopa), Liniments, Calefacient Plasters (Dropaces), and Sinapisms | [581] |
| 20. | On Different Preparations of Oil and Ointments | [589] |
| 21. | On Œnantharia | [598] |
| 22. | On Perfumes and Cyphi | [599] |
| 23. | On the Preparations of Masucha, which some call Masuaphium | [601] |
| 24. | On Pessaries, from the Works of Antyllus | [ib.] |
| 25. | On Medicines which may be substituted for one another, from the Works of Galen | [604] |
| 26. | On Weights and Measures | [609] |
| General Index | [629] | |