Κάρδαμος,
Nasturtium, Cress; the seed of it is caustic like mustard. When applied externally, therefore, it proves rubefacient, incides also the thick humours when drunk with other things. And the dried herb is possessed of similar powers, but the juicy one is more moderate; it therefore is eaten raw.
Commentary. It was indisputably a species of cress, probably the Lepidium sativum. We have treated of it as an article of food in [Book I]. Our author’s account of it is mostly derived from Galen. Symeon Seth, with most of the authorities, calls it aphrodisiacal. Macer says, on the contrary, that its powers are equal to those of rue for repressing venereal desires. Dioscorides calls it alexipharmic, and says of it, that in fumigations it drives away venomous reptiles. It occurs in the Flora Hippocratica. See Dierbach. The Arabians treat of it very elaborately. See Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 472), Avicenna (ii, 2, 502), and Serapion (c. 359.) They agree that it evacuates bile both upwards and downwards, that it is aphrodisiac and alexipharmic. The cress (Nasturtium), until very lately, was admitted into our Dispensatory. See Gerard, Parkinson, Culpeper, and Quincy.
Καρδάμωμον,
Cardamomum, Cardamum, is also acrid, but weaker than the Cardamus. It has also some bitterness, by which it destroys intestinal worms, and with vinegar clears away scabies.
Commentary. The officinal cardamom of the present time has now got the scientific name of Elettaria Cardamomum, and as far as we can see there is no reason to doubt its being identical with the cardamomum of the ancients. There are, however, several varieties of the cardamom which are not satisfactorily defined, any more than the four species mentioned by Pliny. (H. N. xii, 29.) See Ainslie (Mat. Ind. 32), and Pereira (Mat. Med. 694.) Dioscorides recommends it for various purposes, both externally and internally; for epilepsy, coughs, ischiatic disease, nephritis, and as an alexipharmic and lithontriptic medicine. (i, 5.) Galen is more guarded in enumerating its virtues, and all the other Greek authorities follow him. The Arabians rather imitate Dioscorides. See Avicenna (ii, 2, 156), and Serapion (c. 64.) One of Serapion’s Arabian authorities, Isaac eben Amram, describes two species, the greater and the lesser, a distinction still recognized. We need scarcely add that it is well known at the present day, and is used for various purposes both in this country and in the East.
Καρὶς,
Squilla, a Legless Lobster, when triturated and drunk with the root of bryony it kills lumbrici.
Commentary. The squilla belongs to the order of μαλακόστρακα. (See [Book I, 91].) The present article we suppose is the Cancer Squilla, L. It is treated of very cursorily by the other authorities.