Commentary. Dioscorides mentions that it is a species of wild pear. He recommends it as an antidote to mushrooms. (i, 168.) Serapion and Mesue give it the same character.
Ἀψίνθιον,
Absinthium, Wormwood; it is heating in the first degree, but drying in the third, being possessed at the same time of astringent, bitter, and acrid qualities. It therefore evacuates bilious humours in the stomach by the bowels and by urine. But in collections of phlegm it is of no service, owing to its astringency. The juice of it is much hotter than the herb itself.
Commentary. Dioscorides also describes two other species, the one being clearly the Artemisia maritima, and the other not the santonica, although it bears that name, but rather the palmata, according to the best modern commentators. Dioscorides recommends the true wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) in a great many cases, both externally and internally; as being diuretic and preventing surfeit when taken beforehand, relieving flatulence of the stomach and bowels; proving emmenagogue in a potion or pessary, removing the feeling of suffocation induced by mushrooms, when drunk with vinegar, and when with wine counteracting the poisonous effects of ixia and hemlock, the bites of the shrew mouse and sea dragon; its vapour removing toothache, and a cataplasm the intense pains of ophthalmy; as suiting in dropsical affections and diseases of the spleen, and in many other cases. He mentions a wine of wormwood made by the people about Propontis and Thrace, which they used for the aforesaid purposes in the absence of fever. (iii, 23.) Pliny enumerates fully the many medicinal properties which were ascribed to it. (H. N. xxvii, 28.) Galen says that it is less attenuant but as desiccative as southernwood. Apuleius calls it anthelminthic. The Arabians recommend it with the same intention. Casiri (Bibl. H. A. 336.) All the authorities hold that it is cholagogue. See in particular Avicenna (ii, 2, 2), who is very full in describing the medicinal properties of wormwood, recommending it in infusion, in decoction, in the form of syrup, and in wine. See also Serapion (c. 14); Averrhoes (Collig. v, 42); Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 9.) The last of these, after giving the opinions of Dioscorides, Galen, Ruffus, Pythagoras, and Oribasius, quotes Musy (Mesue?) as saying of it that it is stomachic, a whetter of the appetite, useful in jaundice, quinsy, inflammation of the eye and ear, hardness of the liver, spleen, and womb, and in dropsy. One of Serapion’s Arabian authorities commends it as a deobstruent, and in cases of jaundice. It occurs in the list of medicinal substances used both by Hippocrates and Celsus. The latter recommends it as being both stomachic and diuretic. Although its use as a febrifuge has been superseded by a more popular medicine of the same class, we need scarcely remark that it still holds a place in our Dispensatories. The modern Greek Pharmacopœia contains the two species which are described by the names of Artemisia Absinthium and Artemisia contra. The latter is the santonicum, its name being an abbreviation of contra vermes. See Lindley (Veg. Kingd. 705.)
Βάλανος Μυρεψικὴ,
Glans unguentaria, Nut Ben; its inner and, as it were, fleshy parts have detergent and incisive powers along with astringency: and therefore when drunk with honeyed water, to the amount of a drachm weight, it occasions vomiting and loosens the lower belly. But when taken with oxycrate it is of use for obstructions of the viscera. It proves detergent in affections of the skin when rubbed in with vinegar. Its bark is very astringent.
Commentary. There can be no dispute that this is the ben nut, the term ben being derived from the Arabians. The tree from which it is procured is said to be the Hyperanthera moringa Vahl. See Ainslie (Mat. Med. i, 197.) It is further called Myrobalanum, but the coincidence of name must not lead the reader to identify it with the myrobalans of the Arabians, of which we shall have occasion to give some account in another place. Pliny gives an interesting account of it, representing the Arabian as being the best oil in quality, and the Troglodytic or Ethiopian, as the worst. (H. N. xii, 47.) Being principally used in unguents, it has often got the name of glans unguentaria. Dioscorides writes fully of its medicinal properties, recommending it in particular inwardly, as an emetic and purgative, and externally, as an application to various cutaneous diseases, such as psora and leprosy (iv, 157.) Celsus recommends it in several places as an ingredient in emollient ointments, more especially for indurations of the spleen (iv, 9; v, 18, 4.) The Arabians, especially Avicenna and Serapion, treat of it at great length, but in nearly the same terms as Dioscorides and Galen. Of late years nut ben has been excluded from our Dispensatories; but our older authorities in modern times confirm the characters of it given above from Dioscorides, that is to say, that it acts both as an emetic and a purge, but in the latter capacity slowly and with pain. See Hill (Mat. Med. 4, 94); Rutty (Mat. Med. p. 52.)
Βάκχαρις,
Baccharis, Spikenard, is a fragrant herb, like cinnamon, used for garlands. It is acrid; and its root when boiled is deobstruent, diuretic, and emmenagogue. But its leaves being astringent are beneficial in fluxes.