Diascordium
Encyclopedia
In pre-modern medicine, diascordium (medical Lat
diascordium, for diascordiōn, from Gr
, [a preparation] of scordium, , "a strong-smelling plant mentioned by Dioscorides", possibly Teucrium scordium), or diascord, is a kind of electuary
, or opiate
, first described by Fracastorius, and denominated from the dried leaves of scordium, which is an ingredient therein. The other ingredients are red roses, bole
, storax
, cinnamon, cassia lignea (coarse bark of Cinnamomum cassia), dittany
, tormentil
roots, bistort, gentian
, galbanum
, amber, terra sigillata
, opium
, long pepper, ginger, mel rosatum, and malmsey. It was used against malignant fevers, the plague, worms, colic
, to promote sleep, and resist putrefaction. In 1746, diascordium was offered in two forms: with or without opium.
In 1654, Nicholas Culpeper
wrote in his London Dispensatorie about the mixture: "It is a well composed Electuary, a something appropriate to the nature of women, for it Provokes the Terms, hastens their Labor, helps their usual sickness at the time of their Lying-in, I know nothing better."
Over the years, the composition of diascordium was modified, until it gradually changed into what became known as pulvis catechu compositus ("compound powder of catechu
").
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
diascordium, for diascordiōn, from Gr
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, [a preparation] of scordium, , "a strong-smelling plant mentioned by Dioscorides", possibly Teucrium scordium), or diascord, is a kind of electuary
Electuary
An electuary is a medicinal paste composed of powders, or other medical ingredients, incorporated with sweeteners to hide the taste, like syrup, honey, jam, etc., for the purposes of oral consumption....
, or opiate
Opiate
In medicine, the term opiate describes any of the narcotic opioid alkaloids found as natural products in the opium poppy plant.-Overview:Opiates are so named because they are constituents or derivatives of constituents found in opium, which is processed from the latex sap of the opium poppy,...
, first described by Fracastorius, and denominated from the dried leaves of scordium, which is an ingredient therein. The other ingredients are red roses, bole
Bole
-Geographical locations:* Bole District, Ghana* Bole, Ghana, town* Bole, Nottinghamshire, England* Bole International Airport * Bole, Xinjiang, China-Other:* Bole2Harlem, an Ethiopian hip hop fusion band* Bole , a unit of momentum...
, storax
Storax
Storax is also a name for trees in the genus StyraxStorax is the resinous exudate of the tree Liquidambar orientalis , occasionally used in incense or as an aromatic fixative in perfumery....
, cinnamon, cassia lignea (coarse bark of Cinnamomum cassia), dittany
Dittany
Dittany can refer to three different plants, the first two with similar medical properties, the second two closely related:* Dictamnus albus of the rue family...
, tormentil
Tormentil
Common Tormentil is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the rose family , also known as Septfoil or simply as "tormentil" .-Characteristics:It is a low, clumb-forming plant with slender, procumbent...
roots, bistort, gentian
Gentian
Gentiana is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Gentian family , tribe Gentianeae and monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species, it is considered a large genus.-Habitat:...
, galbanum
Galbanum
Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin, the product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant species, chiefly Ferula gummosa and Ferula rubricaulis. Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifully on the slopes of the mountain ranges of northern Iran...
, amber, terra sigillata
Terra sigillata
Terra sigillata is a term with at least three distinct meanings: as a description of medieval medicinal earth; in archaeology, as a general term for some of the fine red Ancient Roman pottery with glossy surface slips made in specific areas of the Roman Empire; and more recently, as a description...
, opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
, long pepper, ginger, mel rosatum, and malmsey. It was used against malignant fevers, the plague, worms, colic
Colic
Colic is a form of pain which starts and stops abruptly. Types include:*Baby colic, a condition, usually in infants, characterized by incessant crying*Renal colic, a pain in the flank, characteristic of kidney stones...
, to promote sleep, and resist putrefaction. In 1746, diascordium was offered in two forms: with or without opium.
In 1654, Nicholas Culpeper
Nicholas Culpeper
Nicholas Culpeper was an English botanist, herbalist, physician, and astrologer. His published books include The English Physician and the Complete Herbal , which contain a rich store of pharmaceutical and herbal knowledge, and Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the Decumbiture of the Sick ,...
wrote in his London Dispensatorie about the mixture: "It is a well composed Electuary, a something appropriate to the nature of women, for it Provokes the Terms, hastens their Labor, helps their usual sickness at the time of their Lying-in, I know nothing better."
Over the years, the composition of diascordium was modified, until it gradually changed into what became known as pulvis catechu compositus ("compound powder of catechu
Catechu
For the region in India, see Kutch District.Catechu is an extract of any of several species of Acacia—but especially Acacia catechu—produced by boiling the wood in water and evaporating the resulting brew....
").