[223] See the Sibbald Collections, Advocates’ Library, Edinburgh.
[224] See D’Herbelot. This author was a Jew.
[225] See ante, pp. [20], [151]. Further investigation might show that it was Michael Scot himself who undertook this work for the Emperor. In that case it would probably be the original from which the two Italian versions mentioned above were made. Nor is it unlikely he should have devoted himself to medicine as early as 1212 considering the nature of the work by Avicenna on which we know he was engaged in 1210.
[226] In Ideler’s Physici et Medici Graeci Minores, Berlin, 1842, vol. ii.
[227] Florence, Bibl. Naz. xv. 27, cod. chart. saec. xv.; Naples, Bibl. Naz. cod. chart. saec. xv. from the Minieri Riccio collection.
[228] Vatican, Fondo della Regina di Svezia, 1159, p. 149. This treatise closes thus: ‘et istud sufficit tempore presenti facto urinarum. Finis urinarum Magistri Michaelis Scoti. Incipit Practica Magistri R. de Parma Medecinarum.’
[229] British Museum, add. MSS. 24,068. This is a volume in 8vo containing a medical collection. It belonged in 1422 to Heinrich Zenner and afterwards to Magister Wenceslaus Brock. No. 22, at fol. 97vo, is as follows: ‘Pillulae Magistri Michaelis Scoti, quae fere competunt omnibus egritudinibus, et non possit scribi earum bonitas, unde nolo eas amplius laudare etc. Recipe Aloe epatice optimum, uncias iii., brionie, mirobolonorum indorum, reb. belliricorum, emblicorum, citrinorum, masticiis, dyagridii, azari, rosarum, Reubarbari an. unciam i. Confice cum succo caulium vel absynthii. Dosis sit vii. vel v. Et iste competunt convenienti et ydonea dieta observata. Et valent iste pillulae contra omnem dolorem capitis, ex quacumque causa, vel ex quocumque humore procedat, purgant mire omnes humores, Leticiam generant, mentem acuunt, visum reddunt et reparant, auditum restituunt, Juventutem conservant, Scotomiam et vertiginem reparant, canes (? canities) retardant, memoriam conservant, Emigraneam depellunt, oculos illuminant, aciem reparant, et in puerilem etatem reducunt. Et si aliquis humorum est impedimenti in gingivis et dentibus, medifica[n]t et in soliditatem conservant, arterias de flemate purgant, Epiglotum et uvam (? uvulam) cum voce clarificant, appetivam virtutem confortant, Stomachum epar et splenem coadjuvant. Sonitum aurium et surditatem tollunt, causas febrium omnino extingunt et auferunt, ascarides vermes necant, omnibus etatibus et temporibus tam masculino quam feminino sexui conveniunt.’ In the Laurentian Library, xii. 27. p. 48, I find a similar prescription which may have been given either by Michael Scot or Master Volmar who succeeded him as court physician. It is as follows: ‘Pulvis Domini Fred. Imperatoris, valens contra omnium humorum exceptionem et precipue contra fleumaticum et melanconicum, ex quibus diuturnae infirmitates capitis et stomachi habent [?] provenire. Valet quippe contra defectum visus et stomachi debilitatem cibaria sumpta digeri et membris incorporari facit, valet contra stomachi ventositatem Scotomiam ante oculos inducentem, restaurat memoriam quocumque humore perditum, verum (?) dolorem ex frigiditate provenientem mitigat. Recipe: Carium, petrosillini anisi, marati, sexmontani, Bethonice, Cymini, calamite, pulegii, ysopi, spicenardi, piperis, sal gemme, rute, centrumgalli, herbae regiae, heufragie, olibani, mastici, croci, mirabolanorum, omnium, et plus de citrinis, an. ʒ 1. et utaris omni tempore indifferenter. Addenda sunt ista; Cynamomi, Schināti, maiorane, folii balsamite, mzimi, (?) cardamomi, galenge, regulitie, an. ʒ 1. pulverizza, et utaris indifferenter.’ The MS. is in a hand of the thirteenth century. The Myrobalans, long discarded from the Pharmacopœia, were the dried fruits of various species of Phyllanthus and Terminalia which grow in India. They are still used in native practice, especially in the preparation of the Bit laban, a remedy in rheumatic gout prepared by calcining these seeds with the fossil muriate of soda. See Asiatic Researches, xi. pp. 174, 181, 192. The bellirica and emblica are other species of the same plant, the Terminalia. See Bauhin’s Historia Plantarum, 1613. The Dyagridium or Dacridium is an alternative name for scammony. Azarum, the same as asarum, the Aristolochia. Maratum or Marathrum an old name for fennel. Reb. is probably the Robes of the early chemical authors = a vinegar, here impregnated with the active principle of the fruits prescribed. Cyminum = cumin. Calamita = mint. Pulegium = pennyroyal, another of the mints. Salgemma = rock-salt. We shall become familiar with this term in perusing the Liber Luminis of Michael Scot. Centrumgallus, according to Du Cange, the common garden cockscomb. Herbia regia, the Ocymum citrinum or citron basil. Olibanum, frankincense. Galengha, the root of a species of Alpinia. Regulitia, liquorice. I have been greatly helped in identifying several of these forgotten simples by the kindness of Mr. J. M. Shaw, sub-librarian to the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.
[230] Year viii. of his Pontificate, namely Jan. 16, 1223. See the interesting article by Milman in the Miscellany of the Philobiblon Society, vol. i. 1854. He refers to the papers of Mr. W. R. Hamilton in the British Museum, and especially to vol. ii. pp. 214, 228, 246.
[231] Monumenta, sub anno 1259, Feb. 12.
[232] ‘Quod inter literatos vigeat dono scientiae singulari.’