MOSCHUS 217 



any (614a) a Mr. Pierson serves as authority for a 

 Dr. Russel, who, as did Mr. Pierson, reviewed the as- 

 serted uses of the drug as a substitute for mercury and 

 as an application in scrofulous and cutaneous affections, 

 but decided in opposition to its use, on account of its 

 exceeding acridity. A refreshing innovation upon for- 

 mer primitive processes of medication was this thought 

 for the comfort and welfare of the patient. This im- 

 ported, disagreeable drug crept into the United States 

 Pharmacopeia and American practice through tra- 

 ditional European authority, and by reason of the fact 

 that it was a constituent of the once popular "Com- 

 pound Syrup of Sarsaparilla," maintained its position 

 in medical literature. 



MOSCHUS (Musk) 

 Official in all editions, from 1820 to 1910. 



Musk, Moschus moschiferus, was described by Ae'tius 

 (6), who lived about the middle of the 6th century A. D. 

 Benjamin de Tudela (55a), who traveled through the 

 East about 1160-1173 A. Q., also mentions musk, 

 stating that its native home is in Thibet. Its sale in 

 Egypt is mentioned by Leo Africanus (378b), in 1526. 

 The introduction of musk to medicine, however, came 

 at a much earlier period, its employment in that direc- 

 tion following the commendation of Ae'tius. Its thera- 

 peutic use was due to its introduction from the Ara- 

 bians. Ta vernier (627), 1676, asserted by Eugene 

 Rimmel (552) to be the first European traveler to 

 mention this drug, reports that he bought 7,673 pods 

 of the musk-deer, indicating its abundance at that date. 

 The use of musk as a perfume antedates European 

 record, whilst there is no data concerning its intro- 



