328 OINTMENTS. 



Dioscorides, in his "Materia medica", a work pro- 

 babh' written about the middle of the first century A. D., 

 \A'arns us ag^-ainst tlie least trace of water remaining in 

 the oil, and recommends pouring' the oil several times 

 from one jar into another after these have been snreared 

 with hone^' and salt. The salt extracts all the moisture 

 from the oil. Myrrh and other Balsams, Cardamoms, 

 Calamus, root-stock of Iris, perfumed flowers and fruits 

 and sweet scented herbs were used to give their "aro- 

 mata" to the oil. The fact that animal fat could be im- 

 pregnated witlr perfume was also known. Rc>se ointment 

 seems to liave been uni\'ersalh' used, and Dioscorides 

 describes its preparation also. Gum and resin were added 

 to the ointments to cokair them, and also, as was said, to 

 iix their scent. Main' nngiieuts were colonred with "Dra- 

 gons" blood", the blood-red resin of the Dragon tree, 

 (Dracaena Draco), or with Anchusa, the same colouring 

 matter which we obtain from the root of Aiicliusa tine- 

 toria, our Alkanet. This latter was also recommended 

 for colouring the Rose oil. The variety of unguents be- 

 came greater and greater. One single ointment would 

 contain a large number of ingrediertts. The Egyptian 

 ointment '"Mctopium" was made from bitter almonds with 

 the addition of "omphalium, cardamomum, juncum, cala- 

 mum, mel, vinum, m-\'rrham, semen balsami, galbanum, 

 resinam terebintham". As far as the meanincrs of these 

 names are known toda\ this ointment thereiore contained, 

 besides the oil of bitter almonds, the oil of unripe olives : 

 the volatile oils of Cardamom, of the sweet-scented An- 

 flropogon grass and of Calamus; honej^; wine; the 



