Ἐχίνος,
Echinus; the herb is austere, repellent, and desiccant. Of the Land Echinus, or Hedgehog, the flesh when strongly dried is discutient and desiccant; when taken in a draught, therefore, it is beneficial in elephantiasis, cachexia, and many other complaints. Its skin, when burnt, becomes more desiccant and discutient. It therefore cures alopecia when rubbed in with liquid pitch. Of the Sea Echinus, the edible part is diuretic, and agrees with the bowels. Its shell, when burnt, resembles that of the land echinus.
Commentary. The herb is not described by Dioscorides, Theophrastus, or Pliny. It would appear to be the same as the [Erinus], which see. The Ἐ. χερσᾶιος is undoubtedly the Hystrix Cristata, and the Ἐ. θαλάττιος the Echinus Esculentus. Dioscorides and Galen give the same account of their medicinal properties as our author. Serapion, after giving the description by Dioscorides and Galen, adds, from an Arabian authority, that the flesh of the land echinus is beneficial in protracted fevers. (De Simpl. 435.) Avicenna (ii, 2, 234,) treats of the two echini at greater length than any other ancient author, recommending the flesh of the land, in phthisis, dropsy, elephantia, scabies, scrofula, and other complaints of a formidable nature. Upon the whole, however, his account of it is mostly made up of extracts from Dioscorides and Galen. See in like manner Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 273.) He recommends the land echinus in the irretention of urine to which children are subject, adding that when frequently administered, it brings on dysuria. He and Avicenna quote Serapion as an authority for its use in protracted fevers. Both the echini disappeared from our Dispensatory a considerable time ago.
Ἔχιον,
Echium, Viper’s Bugloss, (some call it also Dorias, and others Alcibiadium,) is a prickly herb, which not only relieves those who have been bitten by reptiles when drunk in wine, but, if taken beforehand, it preserves them from being injured.
Commentary. It appears to us quite clear that this article is the Echium vulgare or Viper’s Bugloss, which we have no doubt was introduced into Britain with other medicinal herbs by the Romans, for it is never found remote from cultivated places, and therefore we believe it not to be truly indigenous. Some have taken it for the Echium rubrum, from Dioscorides having described the flowers as being purplish, whereas, purplish signifies a bright blue, and not red as is supposed. Parkinson thus describes the colour of the flowers of the Echium vulgare: “The flowers are of a purplish violet colour, in them that are fully blown, but more reddish while they are in bud; but in some places of a paler purple colour,” &c. (p. 413.) We, then, have no hesitation in acknowledging it as the Echium vulgare. Our author borrows his account of its medicinal powers from Dioscorides. (iv, 27.) The Arabians would seem to confound it with the Anchusæ, to which it is closely allied. Our old herbalists, in treating of the viper’s bugloss, follow Dioscorides; but it has long ceased to hold a place in our Dispensatory. It still, however, is known in the shops, where its root retains the character of being aperient and slightly astringent. See Gray (Suppl. to Pharmacop. p. 54.)
Ἕψημα ἢ σίραιον,
Defrutum, Boiled Must; it is moderately heating and digestive, and is also emplastic and free from pungency.
Commentary. Pliny gives the following account of it: “Siræum quod alii hepsema, nostri sapam appellant, ingenii, non naturæ opus est, musto usque ad tertiam partem mensuræ decocto: quod ubi factum ad dimidiam est, defrutum vocamus.” (H. N. xiv, 11.) Harduin states that the Hepsema is called Rob or Sapa semplex. (l. c.) Moses Charras gives the following directions for preparing it: “℞. Of the new juice of white grapes perfectly ripe, lb. xxx; boil it over a gentle fire in an earthen glazed vessel, or a copper vessel tinned within, until a third part of the juice only remains. But if you desire a defrutum, boil it only to the consumption of the third part.” (Roy. Phar. p. 70.) The following prescription, taken from a still later writer, will further be useful in illustrating the meaning of a term which often occurs in the course of this work, but which has now fallen into disuse. “The Simple Rob or Sapa. Take of juice newly expressed from generous and white grapes any quantity, and boil it over a slow fire, until one pint of it only remains out of three, or it becomes of a honey consistence.” Quincy’s Dispensatory (432.) Few of the other authorities treat of this article at all, and those that do, despatch their notice of it in few words. Thus, for example, Avicenna says of rob, that it is expectorant, and hence it is made an ingredient in the syrup of poppies; and that it is useful in pain of the kidneys and bladder. (ii, 2, 570.)