‘> 
CONVOLVULUS scAaMMONIA. ORD. XIII. Campanacee. BAS: 
of a deeper colour; but the colour affords no test of the goodness: 
of this drug, which seems to depend entirely upon the purity of 
‘the concrete.. The smell of Scammony is rather unpleasant, and 
the taste bitterish and slightly acrid. The different proportiens of 
gum and resin of which it consists, have been variously stated, * but 
as proof spirit is the best menstruum for it,. these substances are 
supposed to be nearly in equal parts. 
Scammony appears to have been well known to the Greek and 
Arabian physicians,* and was not only employed internally as a 
purgative, but also as an external remedy for tumours, scabies,. 
tinea, fixed pains, &c.—Although this Drug was seldom given 
alone, yet we find it was very generally used,“ and an ingredient 
in. many. ‘ eompounds which were formerly held in very great 
repute.—Hoffman, however, entertained an opinion, that Scammony — 
was a dangerous medicine ; “ Ego nunquam in praxi mea in usu 
«< habui, nec in posterum habebo; me semper ab istiusmodi venenis. 
“ colliquativis abstinens. Hoff. in Schrod. p. 543.” But since Boer- 
haave’s time it has. been considered as a safe though stimulating, 
cathartic, and frequently prescribed uncombined with any other 
substance, yet neither producing tormina nor hypercatharsis. Like 
other resinous purgatives it is uncertain in its operation, which may 
be occasioned by the intestines being more or less defended from 
the action of these stimulants, by the eee of natural mucus. 
with which they are covered, aes 
© Boulduc Mem. de Ac, 1702, Geoffroy. Mat, Meds 
¢ Hippocrates, Dioscorides, Aétius, Mesue, &c. 
e As Diagrydium. Scam defcecatum per succum citronioram,- Extractum Spt 
vin. Extract. diagridii aromaticum, Extract. seam. glycyrrhizatum. Elixir Scam. 
mon. Scam, vitriolatum, Scam. sulphuratum, Scam, rosatum, Infusum scammonii, 
Diacydonium lucidum scammoniatum. Gelatina cydoniorum laxativa, &e. 
f Among these were the Pulvis de Tribus, or Pulvis trium Diabolorum, Pulvis- 
Basilicus, Pulvis Comitis de Warwick, which was afterwasds called Pulvis Corna.. 
ehini, because Marcus Cornachini, professor of medicine at Pisa, recommended it aa. 
a panacea, in a book, the title of which is, ** Methodus qua omnes humant corporis 
‘¢ affectiones ab humoribus copia aut qualitate peccantibus genite, tuto, cio, ef 
© sucunde curantur.”? 
No, 21—vo1. 2, © $e 
