ACACIA, in Medicine, an inspissated Juice, of a Shrub of the Thorn kind; used as an Astringent. See ASTRINGENT.
There are two Kinds, the Vera and Germanica.The Acacia Vera, is brought from the Levant; and supposed to be the Juice of the Pods of a large thorny Tree, growing in Egypt and Arabia. — Some Naturalists will have it the same Plant that yields the Gum Arabick.
It is very austere and binding; and on that account good against Fluxes. — Choose that of a tan-colour, smooth, and shining; and an astringent disagreeable Taste. — It is, or should be, an Ingredient in the Theriaca Andromachi.
There are two Kinds, the Vera and Germanica.The Acacia Vera, is brought from the Levant; and supposed to be the Juice of the Pods of a large thorny Tree, growing in Egypt and Arabia. — Some Naturalists will have it the same Plant that yields the Gum Arabick.
It is very austere and binding; and on that account good against Fluxes. — Choose that of a tan-colour, smooth, and shining; and an astringent disagreeable Taste. — It is, or should be, an Ingredient in the Theriaca Andromachi.
ACHOR, Achores, in Medicine, the third Species or Degree of a tinea, or Scald Head. See TINEA.
Achores are a sort of Spreading Ulcers, which break the Skin into a Number of little Holes, out of which oozes a viscid Humour. — Achores only differ from Favi in this, that their Holes are smaller.
Achores are a sort of Spreading Ulcers, which break the Skin into a Number of little Holes, out of which oozes a viscid Humour. — Achores only differ from Favi in this, that their Holes are smaller.
AGGLUTINANTS, Agglutinanta, in Medicine, are a kind of strengthening remedy that adheres to the solid parts of the body, replenishing what is worn off and wasted in the body's actions. See MEDICINES, NUTRITION, etc. Most of these are glutinous in nature or easily form into gels and gummy consistencies. The term is derived from the Latin "ad" meaning "to" and "gluten" meaning "glue." See GLUE and AGGLUTINATION.The Operation and Use of Agglutinants, see under STRENGTHENERS. The principal Simples which come under this Class, are Ising-glass, Olibanum, Gum Arabic, Dragon's Blood, Cassia, Sago, Vermicelli, Pulse, Comfrey, Plantain, &c. See ISING-GLASS, GUM, OLIBANUM, DRAGON'S BLOOD, CASSIA, PULSE, &c.
ALEXIPHARMIC, in Medicine, expresses that Property which a Remedy, either simple or compound, has to resist, or destroy everything of a poisonous Nature: For the Ancients had a Notion, that there was Poison in all malignant Diseases, and in the generality of those whose Cause is unknown. See POISON. Alexiterial, Cardiac, Antidote, Alexipharmic, and Counterpoison, are all Terms of the same Signification. See ANTIDOTE, COUNTERPOISON, &c. Alexipharmics are ordinarily divided into such as are general; and those more particular, supposed only to combat some particular Disease.—But this Division is founded more on Speculation than Experience.
ALEXITERIAL, in Medicine, a Term of the same import with Alexipharmic. See ALEXIPHARMIC.It is formed from the Greek ἀλέξω, alexo, I drive away; or ὀπιτυλορ, opitulor, I assist.
ALKERMES, in Medicine, &c., a Term borrowed from the Arabs.—The Confection of Alkermes, is a celebrated Remedy, of the Form and Consistence of a Confection - whereof the Kermes Berries are the Basis. See CONFECTION and KERMES.The other Ingredients, as prescribed by the College, are Pippin-Cyder, Rose-Water, Sugar, Ambergrease, Musk, Cinnamon, Aloes Wood, Pearls, and Leaf Gold.—But the Sweets are usually omitted. It is much used as a Cordial; especially, says Dr. Quincy, among Female Prescribers, and in compliance to them: But that Author decries its Value in that Intention, and thinks it ought only to be regarded as a Sweetener.
ALOES, Aloe, in Medicine and Pharmacy, the inspissated Juice of a ferulaceous Plant of the same Name; much used as a purgative Remedy. See PURGATIVE.The Aloe Plant grows in divers Parts of the East and West Indies; and is also found in some Countries of Europe, as Spain, and particularly the Mountains of Sierra Morena.Its Leaves are green, very thick, hard, and prickly; yielding a kind of Cotton, whereof Laces may be made.Out of the middle of the Leaves arises a Stem, which bears the Flower, and the Fruit, the Seed whereof is very light and hemispherical.Dioscorides, Pliny, and the ancient Naturalists, seem only to have been acquainted with one Species of Aloes;which is the Aloe Vulgaris above described: But the late Travels into Asia, Africa, and America, have occasioned the Discovery of forty more sorts, unknown to Antiquity.Mr. Bradley assures us, he has seen above sixty several Kinds in the Physic-Garden at Amsterdam. So that Aloe is now become the Denomination of a Genus.—Among the Number, however, there are not above twelve that yield the purgative Juice above mentioned.The Juice or Extract of Aloes, is usually distinguished into three Kinds—The first, which is called Succotrine as being brought from Socotra, is the purest and most transparent; being friable, inodorous, black in the Lump, but of a beautiful yellow Colour when bruised.—It is brought in Skins from the Levant and East Indies. The second is called Hepatic, because of its Liver-colour:It is resinous, smells like Myrrh, has a yellow Colour when pounded, and is brought from Socotra.—Some confound this with the following sort; as, in effect, there are but two sorts commonly known in our Shops. The third is the most impure, the blackest, and the strongest.—It was formerly used by the Indians to pitch their Vessels withal: and is of little Use among us, excepting for Horses and Cattle; for which reason it is called Caballine, i.e.Horse-Aloes. Besides these, some mention another kind of Aloes prepared in Barbados, and brought over in large Gourds: but most Writers make this the Caballine kind. Some have imagined, that these differences of Aloes were owing only to the greater, or less Purification of the Juice: But this is a Mistake; it having been found that no Dissolutions, how often soever repeated, will change Hepatic into Succotrine, nor Caballine into Hepatic Aloes. The manner of preparing Aloes is very easy, there being nothing to do but to cut the Leaves of the Plant, and to expose the Juice that spontaneously oozes out of them to the sun, till it becomes of a proper Consistence.Aloes is extremely bitter, and purgative; externally applied, either in Substance or Tincture, it prevents Putrefaction and Gangrene.—Its Bitterness makes it so nauseous, that it is rarely used in liquid Forms, but is generally made into Pills, whereof half a Dram is an ordinary Dose.—Scarce any of the Officinal Pills are without this in their Composition.See PILL. Its cathartic Virtue, is best employed in watery, cold, and corpulent Constitutions, as it heats and attenuates;being bad for thin and hectic Constitutions. It is accounted efficacious in promoting the Menses; and is also good to destroy Worms.M. Boulduc, by his Analysis of Aloes, has found that the Succotrine sort contains half the Resin or sulphurous Part, but one third more of the saline Part, found in the Hepatic.Hence the Succotrine comes to be preferable for internal Uses, and the Hepatic for external.Aloe Rosata, is a Preparation of the Aloes Juice, made by dissolving it in Juice of Damask Roses, and evaporating it to the Consistence of a Paste. Then, more Juice is added, and the Evaporation repeated, again and again.—This is held a gentler and safer Cathartic than the Aloes alone.Aloes is also a kind of fragrant Indian Wood; thus called from its exceeding Bitterness, which resembles that of the Aloes Juice.This Aloes, called also Agallochum, is infinitely valued;and divers strange Fables have been invented as to the Origin of the Tree that yields it: Some feign that it grew in Paradise, and was only conveyed to us by means of the Rivers overflowing their Banks, and sweeping off the Trees in their way. Others suppose it to grow on inaccessible Mountains; where it is guarded by certain wild Beasts, etc.—The Siamese Ambassadors to the Court of France, in 1686, who brought a Present of this Wood from their Emperor, first gave the Europeans any consistent Account of it.The Tree grows in China, Lao, and Cochinchina; and is much about the Size and Figure of our Olive Trees.—The Trunk consists of three sorts of Wood, very different in Colour, and Properties: Immediately under the Bark it is black, dense and heavy, called by the Portuguese, Pao d’Aquila, q. d. Eagle-Wood. That next under this, is of a Tan-colour, light and veiny, resembling rotten Wood; and called Calambou.
ALOPECIA, or Alopecy, in Medicine, etc., a Falling of the Hair, from what Cause soever that arises. See HAIR. The Word is formed from alopec, Vulpes, a Fox; whose Urine, it is said, will occasion Baldness; or because such a Disease is common to that Creature.
ALPHOS, in Medicine, a Distemper described by Celsus, under the Name of Vitiligo; wherein, the Skin is rough, and looks as if it had Drops of white upon it, not much differing from Morphew. See MORPHEW.