Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  19 18. 
Some  Old-Tim e  Medicines. 
417 
its  history  it  acquires  the  title  of  "  palsy  drops."  It  is  probable  that 
its  alcoholic  and  spicy  nature  was  its  only  therapeutic  value. 
Diachylon  Plaster. — This  plaster  is  said  to  have  been  invented 
in  the  year  one  of  the  Christian  era  by  Menecrates,  who  was  physi- 
cian to  the  Emperor  Tiberius.  There  was,  however,  in  existence  a 
plaster  made  of  so-called  mucilages  and  lead  before  this  time. 
Menecrates  made  his  combination  of  mucilages  of  foenugreek,  lin- 
seed, marshmallow  and  oil  with  litharge.  An  interesting  feature  is 
that  the  original  formula  was  assembled  in  the  form  of  a  verse. 
From  time  to  time  the  formula  was  improved.  Its  original  name  is 
retained  to  this  day  (its  literal  meaning  is  a  preparation  of  juices). 
Now,  of  course,  it  is  a  lead  plaster.  In  its  earliest  days  an  adhesive 
plaster  was  known  under  the  names  of  persons  who  made  changes  in 
the  formula.  While  still  official  this  plaster  is  now  only  in  limited 
use  on  account  of  the  popularity  of  the  india-rubber  adhesive  com- 
pounds. It  is  admitted,  however,  that  there  are  certain  conditions 
in  which  this  plaster,  notwithstanding  its  disadvantages,  is  superior 
for  many  purposes  to  any  other  form  of  adhesive.  If  a  plaster 
with  similar  properties  could  be  made  with  an  india-rubber  base  it 
is  believed  this  would  be  a  considerable  improvement  in  respect  to 
adhesive  plaster. 
Dover's  Powder. — The  invention  of  a  London  doctor  by  the 
name  of  Thomas  Dover,  who  lived  in  the  seventeenth  century,  held 
the  center  of  the  stage  for  many  generations.  The  original  Dover's 
powder  was  a  diaphoretic  powder  containing  opium,  saltpeter,  lico- 
rice, ipecac.  The  originator  of  the  preparation  stated  he  gave  as 
high  as  100  grains  of  the  mixture.  It  became  official  in  the  London 
Pharmacopoeia  in  1788,  having  been  made  famous  as  a  sweating 
powder.  It  is  still  in  use  but  only  to  a  limited  extent  by  the  rank 
and  file  of  practitioners. 
Laudanum. — The  original  preparation  under  this  name  was 
quite  different  from  the  tincture  of  opium  which  bears  this  synonym 
to-day.  Paracelsus,  whose  name  stands  out  as  one  of  the  master 
pharmacists  of  classic  times,  is  the  reputed  inventor.  The  original 
preparation  contained  opium,  orange  and  lemon  juice,  frog  sperm 
water,  cinnamon,  cloves,  ambergris,  saffron,  to  which  was  added 
pearls  and  the  quintessence  of  gold.  The  laudanum  of  the  early 
pharmacopoeia  was  a  pill  mass  of  opium,  saffron,  castorium,  am- 
bergris, musk  and  oil  of  nutmeg.  The  great  Sydenham  devised  the 
laudanum  which  attained  great  popularity  on  the  continent.  This 
