Roman oculists' medicine stamps and collyria / [C.J.S. Thompson].

  • Thompson, C. J. S. (Charles John Samuel), 1862-1943
Date:
[1920?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Roman oculists' medicine stamps and collyria / [C.J.S. Thompson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    122/150 (page 8)
    25. ... right and left three each . . . Reverse, top broken.1 3. ... [thon shalt pound (and) str]ain, in rose-water knead, [press, bind on, and not take off for three days ?]. 4. ... in beer-lees thou shalt boil, knead, [press, bind on, and ditto ?]. 5. ... their sweetness (?) thou shalt remove, in [mountain-honey, verdigris (?) of gold thou shalt bray, apply ?]. 6. ... thou shalt pound (and) strain, in rose-water knead, press, [bind on and not take off for three days ?]. 7. ... thou shalt pound (and) strain, in rose-water knead, press, [bind on and not take off for three days ?]. 8. Thou shalfc bray cantharides (?) 2 3 in honey, [apply ?]. 9. J ka juice of ma-\er\is-ma-ra ^-plant thou shalt pound (and) strain, in rose-water [knead, press, bind on and not take off for three days ?]. 10. Calcined lime in almond-oil thou shalt knead, press [bind on and not take off for three days ?]. 11. la nigula which has a kibsam (?), in oil (and) [copper]-dust 4 [thou shalt bray, apply ?]. 1 Is this a duplicate of CT. xxiii, 24, 20-25, 35 ? 2 §am sa ib-hu, in AM. about 30 times. Ku. iii, i, 24, «sam sa ib-hu wsi to drink, in a series of single drugs, each followed by Msi, to be drunk for bile. Drunk alone as ecbolic in labour (67, 1, 16) ; is gloss to ''ktje.kue, hyoscyamus (19, 5, 3) ; once written sa ib sam hu (57, 5, 13). Quantities, 2 bur (49, 6 r. 2) ; 1 shekel (6, 3, 7 ; 8, 1, 27 ; 13, 7, 4, 5) ; 3 shekels (9, 1, 16) ; 5 shekels (11, 2, 20). Used externally constantly with others, for eyes (8, 1, 19, 27, 39 ; 9, 1, 13, 16; 13, 7, 4, 5; 16, 1, 8, 23, 26; 17, 6, 5); wash head (64, 1, 37, with *storax, “ Akkadian salt,” **ammi . . .) ; for kisirti of lungs (49, 6 r. 2) ; apply anus (57, 5, 13, with mandrake only). Sayce (ZK. ii, 207) pointed out the word ib-hu as a worm in VR. 27, 24 (= CT. xiv, 8, r. 24), so that there is great probability of it meaning a drug from some lower order of animals. The question arises, can it be Cantharides ? The properties of the Cantharis beetle, sometimes confused with buprestis (Diosc. ii, 145, 146), have long been known ; but it is a very powerful drug, and it may be too strong for the identification necessary. At the same time, although a powerful vesicant, it is given internally with caution, as a diuretic and aphrodisiac ; and its effect on the renal region produces abortion, which may explain sam sa ibhu as an ecbolic (P. 317 ; EB. v, 213). In SM. ii, 100, note especially that the juice of beetles is prescribed as kohl for eyes. 3 A most pungent plant; sec AH. sub voce. 4 Cf. CT. xxiii, 26, 3.