34 MR. H. E. STAPLETON ON SAL-AMMONIAC: 



fact that medical science in its origin was based upon a belief in the theory that all disease 

 originated from demoniacal possession ; l the second affords an excellent example of the 

 belief in the permanence of the spiritual connexion between mankind and their shorn 

 locks; while considered together they offer the further suggestion that if we were in a 

 position to prove that the Arabs utilised human hair in combatting disease, we would. 

 ipso facto, be provided with valuable evidence towards establishing the magical origin of 

 the use of sal-ammoniac. This proof is readily obtained from the pages of Ibnu-1-Baitar. 

 As usual he cites earlier authorities. 



" Razes dans le Continent"- Athour Sophos ditque les cheveux de l'homme, trempes 

 dans du vinaigre et appliques sur la morsure d'un chien enrage, la guerissent a l'instant. 

 Trempes dans du vin pur et de l'huile et appliques sur une plaie de la tete, ils l'empechent 

 de s'enflammer. Les vapeurs des cheveux brules, respirees, combattent l'hysterie et les 

 ecoulements uterins. Les cheveux brules, tritures avec du vinaigre, sont appliques utile- 

 ment sur les pustules. Tritures avec du miel et employes en embrocations sur les aphthes 

 chez les enfants, ils obtiennent un succes prononce. Si on les triture avec de l'encens 

 qu'on en repande sur les plaies de la tete apres avoir fait des onctions avec de la 

 poix, ou bien si on les bat avec du miel et qu'on les applique sur ces plaies, 

 on les guerit. Si Ton triture des cheveux brules avec de la litharge et qu'on en 

 fasse des frictions sur la gale et les demangeaisons de l'ceil, on les fait passer. 3 Les 

 cheveux brules, tritures avec du beurre de brebis et employes en frictions sur les ecchymoses 

 et les tumeurs causees par les mouches, sont un remede sur. Melanges avec de l'huile de 



roses et injectes dans l'oreille, ils en guerissent les douleurs Propriety 



d' Ibn Zohr. 4 Les cheveux d'un jeune enfant, avant qu'ils aient acquis de la consistance, 

 portes par un individu goutteux ou pique par un scorpion, le soulagent et lui enlevent sa 



1 An example in the past is that of the ancient Egyptians. "The illnesses to which the human race is prone .... were all 

 attributed to the presence of an invisible being, whether spectre or demon, who by some supernatnral means had been made to 

 enter the patient, or who, unbidden, had by malice or necessity taken up his abode within him" (Maspero, Dawn of Civilisation, 



p. 215). 



A survival of the belief to the present day is shown by the following statement regarding the Patani Malays. "A Jalor 

 midwife said that every person had one hundred and ninety spirits in him, each of which was the cause of some particular 

 disease and each of which, if it gained the mastery over the rest, could bring about the disease it represented" (Annandale, 

 Fasciculi Malayenses, Anthropology, Part II (a) p. 37). 



2 The Hdwl of Abu Bakr ibn Zakarlya ar-Razl, the celebrated doctor, f 923 or 932 A. D. The suggestion conveyed by the 

 name of the authority first mentioned that Ar-Razl is quoting from some Greek author, is confirmed by the fact that most of the 

 information is also to be found in Pliny. See next Note. 



8 Compare with the foregoing, "Virorum quoque capilhts, canis morsibus medetur ex aceto : et capitum vulneribusex oleo aut 



v j n0 Combustus seque capillus, carcinomati" fPliny, Hist. Nat., XXVIII, 9). " Quae ex mulierum corporibus traduntur 



ad portentorum miracula accedunt Capilli si crementur, odore serpentes fugari. Eodem odore vulvae morbo strangulatas 



respirare. Cinere eo quidem, si in testa sint cremati, vel cum spuma argenti, scabritias oculorum ac prurigines emendari : item 

 verrucas ('warts'), et infantium hulcera cum melle. Capitis quoque vulnera, et omnium hulcerum sinus, addito melle ac thure" 

 (Pliny, op. cit., XXVIII, 20). 



The following may also serve to recall two other sources of sal-ammoniac : "^schines Atheniensis excrementorum cinere 

 anginis medebatur, et tonsilis, uvisque et carcinomatis. Hoc medicamentum vocabat botryon" (op. cit., XXVIII, 10.): and 

 (speaking of the Ophiogenes of Cyprus, whose saliva was said to cure snake-bite) " Atque eorum sudor quoque medebatur, non 

 modo saliva" {op. cit., XXVIII, 6). 



4 Abu'l 'Alii' Zuhribn ' Abdi-1-Malik ibn Zuhr, who died at Seville in 1131 A.D. He was the father of ' Avenzoar' of the 

 Latins, 



