ASAFETIDA 19 



All parts of this plant, Arnica montana, were popular 

 remedies in Germany at a very early period. The early 

 botanists, such as Matthiolus (414), Gesner (264) and 

 Clusius (153), had a knowledge of its medicinal qual- 

 ities, as used by the common people. Franz Joel (341), 

 of Greifswald, Germany, expressly recommended it in 

 the 16th century. During 1678-79, arnica experienced 

 an enthusiastic European crusade as a "new remedy" 

 in the cure of fevers, the hope being to supplant im- 

 ported Peruvian bark by this domestic drug. Collin 

 (162), of Vienna, reported a thousand patients in the 

 Pazman Hospital cured of intermittents by the flowers, 

 whilst other physicians were scarcely less enthusiastic 

 in their praises. The herb was recognized in the Lon- 

 don Pharmacopeia, 1788, but fell into disuse, regaining 

 in later years a position as an application in the form of 

 a tincture for bruises, sprains, etc., in which direction 

 it is yet commended in both domestic and professional 

 modern literature. 



ASAFETIDA (Asafetida) 



Official in all editions of the U. S. P.. from 1820 through 1910. 

 As official sources for the gum, the U. S. P., 1910 edition, names 

 Ferula Asafcetida, Ferula foetida, and "some other species of 

 Ferula indigenous to Persia and adjacent countries." 



Under the name "Laser," a substance supposed to 

 be asafetida, Ferula foetida, has been from all time used 

 in India and Persia, and thence long exported, a duty 

 being at a very early date levied thereon at the Roman 

 Custom House in Alexandria. Under the name Hingu 

 it is mentioned in Sanskrit works as well as in Susruta 

 (622). Arabian and Persian travelers of the Middle 

 Ages knew it. Ali Istakhri (337) , of ancient Persepolis, 

 states in the 10th century that it was abundantly pro- 



