B E Z 



B E Z 





w!iich is derived from the Perfian word ladzcher, of hazchei; 

 antidote, or iroxa pazahar, of which pa fignifies aga'injl, and 

 Kahar, a po'ifon. Others derive the term bczoar from the 

 Perfian pazar, a goat. 



It was afterwards given in vertigoes, epilepfies, palpita- 

 tions of the heart, jaundice, colic, and a great many otlier 

 difeafes ; fo that if its real virtues were anfwerable to its re- 

 puted ones, it was 6.ouhx\ek z panacea. Even later writers 

 have bellowed extraordinary commendations on it, as a fu- 

 dorific and alexipharmic ; but there is every reafon to doubt 

 its polTeffing any fuch virtues. Tt is an earthy fubllance, de- 

 void of tafte or I'mell. The hiilorj' of its formation proves 

 that it is not digellible, or otherwife aifedled by the juices 

 of the intellinal canal. If it can ever be employed as a me- 

 dicine, it (hould be on account of its abforbent qu.ality, which, 

 however, it appears to poffefs but in a very flight degree. 

 It has been adminiftered to patients in the quantity of half 

 a drachm, and in fome inilances a drachm has been taken, 

 without producing any fenfible effedt ; the dofe has been 

 generally Hated at a few grains, which was probably on ac- 

 count of its fcarcity and great price. While it retained its 

 medical reputation, it was faid to aft as an antidote to every 

 poiion, vegetable or mineral, and to the bite or fting of all poi- 

 lonous animals, in the dofe of about 8 grains ; but it would 

 equally prove a counter-poifon when taken regularly in the 

 quantity of two grains daily, in a glafs of wine, or efpecial- 

 ly of di'.HIled water of carduus benediftus. To prelerve an 

 youthful conftitution and vigour, an oriental's recipe is to 

 take twice a year (purging being prcmifed) ten grains of 

 btzoar daily, for five fucceflive days, with a cup of rofe- 

 water. Bezoartic produfliors are at prefent fo little re- 

 garded for their medicinal properties, that few diuggills now 

 think it neceflary to have them in their pofleffion. 



BczoAR, Equhium, is the name given to the calculous con- 

 cretions occafionally met with in horfes. They appear to be 

 formed in the fame manner as the bezoar of the antilope or 

 camel genus. They grow to a confiderable fize ; have ufually 

 an irregular form, fomething between a compreffed fphere and 

 a rhomboidal figure ; when divided they exhibit the ufual 

 fucceffion of ftrata, of which they are compofed, but which 

 are not fo diftinft as in the other bezoars ; each layer is 

 formed of cxcentrlc ftrix, which are in many places more 

 evident than the divificn into ftrata; confcquently the feAion 

 of the bezoar gives the appearance of its having been made 

 of radiated, rather than concentric lavers. The furface of 

 the calculus bears great refemblance to a piece of poliflied 

 linie-ftone. 



Bezoar, German, is called by fome rotr'j e^g, from the 

 cireumftance of its being occafionally found in the ftomachs 

 of cows, but the animal from which it is nioft commonly 

 obtained is the chamois {Antilope Riip'icapra). 



The nucleus of the German bezoar ii either the hair which 

 the animal may have fwallowed, when licking itftlf, or the 

 fibres of undigefted vegetables, which are rolled into a round 

 fmootli ball. The quantity of calculous fubllance which is 

 collefted upon this ball is in general very trifling, often be- 

 ing merely a thin pellicle. 



The bezoar which was fomid in the chamois by the Parifian 

 academicians, was made up of the woody fibres of the plants 

 the animal had eaten ; it was fmooth and bcfmenred with 

 nnicus on the furface ; and was broken at one end, expofing a 

 cavity in the centre of the ball, which had formerly, no 

 doubt, been occupied by fome folid fubilance, fuch as a 

 pebble, or ilone of fome fruit. 



German bezoars have been found, according to Bartholin, 

 and others, in horfes and fneep, in which lall they are chiefly 

 compofed of wool, which thtfe animals accidentally fwallow. 



VpL.IV. 



From thcfe fpecies of bezoar having little, if any, calcul- 

 ous matter in their compofition, they have been called by 

 fome writers, with proJJritty, ^gagroplla ; which fee, and 

 Balls. 



Befides what have been already defcribed, there are con- 

 cretions found in the gall bladder of animals, to which the 

 term bezoar has been applied ; thefe appear to be no other 

 than biliary calculi. 



The Hog or Boar Bezoar, called by the Dutch Pedro 

 de porco, and by the Portuguefe, who firft brought it into 

 Europe, Pedro de vaparit, is found in the gall bag of an 

 Eaft India boar ; in form and magnitude it refembles a fil- 

 bert, though more irregidar ; it is moft commonly white, 

 with a tinge of green ; the furface is fmooth and fhining, 

 and is valued at ten times its weight in gold. 



The Indians attribute extraordinary medicinal powers to 

 this bezoar. They call it Majlica de folio, and prefer it to 

 that obtained from the Gazelle ; they confider it a fovereiga 

 remedy for the murdoxe, a difeafc to which they are liable, 

 and which is not Icis dangerous than the plague in Europe. 

 They allow it to have great efficacy alfo in malignant fevers, 

 fmall-pox, and moft difeafes of women not with child, it 

 being fuppoftd to produce abortion in thofe who are preg- 

 nant, if they life it indifcreetly. When it is to be ufed as a 

 medicine, it is infufed in water or wine, until it has commu- 

 nicated a little bitternefs to it. To facilitate the infufion, 

 and at the fame time preferve fo precious a ftone, they ufually 

 inclofe it in a gold cafe, which is pierced with holes. 



The Porcupine and Monkey Bezoars, are alfo the biliary 

 calculi of thefe animals. Tavernier aftertf, that they are not 

 taken from the gall bladder, but the heads of the ape and 

 the porcupine, which is highly improbable, and contrary to 

 general analyfis ; he calls them Malacca Jloiies, and fays that 

 they are held in fuch eilimation by the inh:ibitants of Ma- 

 lacca, that they never part with them, except as prefents to 

 ambafTadors, or the greateft princes of the eaft. 



According to Neumann, fingle tlones, taken from the por- 

 cupine or n;onkey, have been fold tor fixty and eighty pounds 

 fterling. 



It is not impoflible but that thofe bezoars which are formed 

 in the gall bladder may pofRfs fome power as medicines ; 

 perhaps alfo lolutions might be employed with advantage in 

 furgery, but their great reputation amongll the Indian* 

 feems to arife altogether from ignorance and luperftition. 



Bezoar, bovinum, is a yellowilh ftone, found in the 

 gall bags of the ox. It has been ufed by miniature-painter* 

 in feveral cafts of yellow. 



Bezoar, in Coneholngy, a fpecies of Buccinum, that 

 inhabits China. This IhcU is fubrotund and rugofe : ante- 

 rior part of the whorls lamellated : pillar perforated. Gmclin. 

 The colour is duty ochractous, varied with brown : within 

 yellow ; coarfe, decuflated with wrinkles, or ftria:; tail folid, 

 bent, rugoie with imbricated fcales : fpire angular with 

 ftraight fides : anterior part flattiih, plaited, or dcntatcd 

 above. 



BEZOARA, or BuzwARA, in Geography, a town with a 

 fort in the peninfula of India, fituate on the north fide of the 

 Kiftna river, diftant 40, 3 geographical miles from Mafuli- 

 patam. N. lat. 16^ 33'. E. long. 80° 39' In the town is 

 a magnificent pagoda, and another ftands on an eminence 

 without it ; which altraft a great number of pilgrims, whofe 

 contributions are diftribnted in alms to the poor. 



BEZOARDICS. The peculiar virtue of the bczoarbe- 

 ing that of refilling and expelling poifons ; the term bezoar- 

 die (now, however, nearly obfolete,) has come to be almoll 

 fynonymons with atilldote. Thus, when a bezoardic medicine 

 is mentioned, it implicf, with the older writers, either a 

 P p medicine 



