Κλήματις,
Clematis, Virgin’s-bower, (called also Myrsonöides, Daphnöides, and Polygonöides,) has twigs as long as the thickness of a May-rush, (holoschænus,) and petals like the bay, and is of a desiccant nature; it, therefore, stops diarrhœas, dysenteries, and pains of the teeth, and is useful for the bites of venomous animals. The other species of clematis twines around trees like ivy, being of an acrid and caustic nature. Its fruit, when drunk with water, evacuates bile and phlegm downwards; and its leaves in a cataplasm, remove leprosy.
Commentary. The former species, distinguished by the synonyme of Daphnöides, is the clematis described by Dioscorides (iv, 179), and is the second species of Galen, who expresses himself contemptuously of Pamphilus for confounding the two species together. It is clearly a species of Clematis, either the vitalba or cirrhosa. All agree in recommending it as a safe astringent. The other species described by Dioscorides (iv, 7), and which is the former species of Galen, may be decidedly determined to be either the Vinca major or minor. It, according to Galen, is possessed of acrid and caustic powers. The Arabians would appear not to distinguish properly the clematis from the hedera. See Serapion (c. 41), and Avicenna (ii, 2, 169.) The modern Greek Pharmacopœia contains the C. erecta.
Κλινοπόδιον,
Clinopodium, Field Basil, is possessed of heating and desiccative powers, not caustic however, but of the third degree.
Commentary. It may with considerable confidence be set down as being the Clinopodium vulgare, although doubts have been started on this head. See Parkinson (Theatre of Plants, 23), and Sprengel (Ad Dioscorid.) Our author follows Galen very closely. Dioscorides represents it to be diuretic and emmenagogue (iii, 99.) We have not been able to discover any traces of it in the Mat. Med. of the Arabians, nor in Hippocrates.
Κνίκος,
Cnicus, Bastard Saffron; its seed is used only for purgings, but if applied externally it belongs to the third order of calefacients.
Commentary. The preponderance of authority is decidedly in favour of its being the Carthamus tinctorius, a plant which held a place in our Dispensatory with its ancient characters down to recent date. (See Quincy, 167.) Dioscorides mentions of it that it is used as a potherb, and as a medicine for opening the bowels. Galen gives it exactly the same character as our author. The Arabians give rather a confused account of it by treating of it along with Atractylis, which they held to be the wild cnicus. See in particular Avicenna (ii, 2, 159.) All the Arabians hold that it is not only laxative, but also powerfully alexipharmic. They call it Kartam or Cartamus. See further Serapion (c. 202), and Rhases (Cont. l. ult. iii, 46.)