Ray's Thought for the Day (Revised)
Today I have been workin on a glossary of words found in herbal books that are troubling on a variety of levels, but chiefly because I can never remember their definitions. So I have compiled a cheat sheet.
The herbal I was looking at today that annoyed me is "An Ancient Egyptian Herbal." In it, there is spelled a recipe that will relieve an "aching anus." Paraphrasing: Knead honey with burnt wolf dung and pepper (Piper nigrum). Let the patient drink it, but claim your fee first.
All righty then. Claim yer fee first is always good advice.
Glossary of Annoying Herbal Medicine Words
Allopathy n. the treatment of disease by conventional means, i.e. with drugs having effects opposite to the symptoms. Often contrasted with Homeopathy.
Aloin n. A bitter, yellow crystalline compound obtained from the aloe and used as a laxative.
Anodyne adj. Capable of soothing or relieving pain; n. a pain relieving medicine like aspirin
Antihelmentic adj. allegedly destroying intestinal worms
antiscorbutic n. medicine for treating scurvy
aperient n. a mild laxative; adj. Gently stimulating the bowels
Aphrodisiac adj. Arousing or intensifying sexual desire.
n. Something, such as a drug or food, having such an effect.
Astringent n.A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions. Styptic
Calmative adj. having calming orpacifying properties; n. sedative
Carminative adj. Inducing the expulsion of gas from the stomach and intestines. n. A drug or agent that induces the expulsion of gas from the stomach or intestines
cathartic n. a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels adj. strongly laxative
cholagogue n. a substance that promotes bile discharge
corroborant n. an invigorating tonic
demulcent n. A soothing, usually mucilaginous or oily substance, such as glycerin or lanolin, used especially to relieve pain in inflamed or irritated mucous membranes.
deobstruent n. a substance that clears obstructio from natural ducts of the body
diaphoretic adj. Producing or increasing perspiration. n. A medicine or other agent that produces perspiration.
diuretic adj. Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n. A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.
Emmenagogue n. A drug or agent that induces or hastens menstrual flow.
Emetic n. An agent that causes vomiting.
Emollient n. An agent that softens or soothes the skin.
Expectorant adj. Promoting or facilitating the secretion or expulsion of phlegm, mucus, or other matter from the respiratory tract. n. An expectorant medicine
febrifuge n. a medication that reduces fever, an antipyretic
flatulence n. The presence of excessive gas in the digestive tract.
gastritis n. Chronic or acute inflammation of the stomach, especially of the mucous membrane of the stomach.
Homeopathy n. a system of treating diseases in which ill people are given very small amounts of natural substances which, in healthy people, would produce the same effects as the diseases produce
Hydragogue adj. Causing a discharge of water; expelling serum effused into any part of the body, as in dropsy. (n.) A hydragogue medicine, usually a cathartic or diuretic.
Mordant n. A reagent, such as tannic acid, that fixes dyes to cells, tissues, or textiles or other materials. A corrosive substance, such as an acid, used in etching.
Nervine n. nervous tonic
purgative adj. Tending to cleanse or purge, especially causing evacuation of the bowels.
n. A purgative agent or medicine; a cathartic.
Purulence n. The condition of containing or discharging pus.
rubefacient n. a substance that increase blood circulation locally, usually on the skin
sialogue n. a substance that increases the flow of saliva
simple n. an herb used alone as a complet form of prevention or treatment
specific n. A medicne that has a special effect on a particualr disease. Apparently there is no such thing in herbal medicine.
Stomachic n. a medicine that strengthens or stimulates the stomach; adj. Beneficial to or stimulating digestion in the stomach
sudorific n. see diaphoretic
tonic n. a substance that invigorates the system acting as a stimualant or nutritive builder.
Unguent n. A salve for soothing or healing; an ointment
Vermifuge n. A medicine that expels intestinal worms.
vulnerary n. a substance for treating wounds, anitseptic or healing
The herbal I was looking at today that annoyed me is "An Ancient Egyptian Herbal." In it, there is spelled a recipe that will relieve an "aching anus." Paraphrasing: Knead honey with burnt wolf dung and pepper (Piper nigrum). Let the patient drink it, but claim your fee first.
All righty then. Claim yer fee first is always good advice.
Glossary of Annoying Herbal Medicine Words
Allopathy n. the treatment of disease by conventional means, i.e. with drugs having effects opposite to the symptoms. Often contrasted with Homeopathy.
Aloin n. A bitter, yellow crystalline compound obtained from the aloe and used as a laxative.
Anodyne adj. Capable of soothing or relieving pain; n. a pain relieving medicine like aspirin
Antihelmentic adj. allegedly destroying intestinal worms
antiscorbutic n. medicine for treating scurvy
aperient n. a mild laxative; adj. Gently stimulating the bowels
Aphrodisiac adj. Arousing or intensifying sexual desire.
n. Something, such as a drug or food, having such an effect.
Astringent n.A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions. Styptic
Calmative adj. having calming orpacifying properties; n. sedative
Carminative adj. Inducing the expulsion of gas from the stomach and intestines. n. A drug or agent that induces the expulsion of gas from the stomach or intestines
cathartic n. a purging medicine; stimulates evacuation of the bowels adj. strongly laxative
cholagogue n. a substance that promotes bile discharge
corroborant n. an invigorating tonic
demulcent n. A soothing, usually mucilaginous or oily substance, such as glycerin or lanolin, used especially to relieve pain in inflamed or irritated mucous membranes.
deobstruent n. a substance that clears obstructio from natural ducts of the body
diaphoretic adj. Producing or increasing perspiration. n. A medicine or other agent that produces perspiration.
diuretic adj. Tending to increase the discharge of urine.
n. A substance or drug that tends to increase the discharge of urine.
Emmenagogue n. A drug or agent that induces or hastens menstrual flow.
Emetic n. An agent that causes vomiting.
Emollient n. An agent that softens or soothes the skin.
Expectorant adj. Promoting or facilitating the secretion or expulsion of phlegm, mucus, or other matter from the respiratory tract. n. An expectorant medicine
febrifuge n. a medication that reduces fever, an antipyretic
flatulence n. The presence of excessive gas in the digestive tract.
gastritis n. Chronic or acute inflammation of the stomach, especially of the mucous membrane of the stomach.
Homeopathy n. a system of treating diseases in which ill people are given very small amounts of natural substances which, in healthy people, would produce the same effects as the diseases produce
Hydragogue adj. Causing a discharge of water; expelling serum effused into any part of the body, as in dropsy. (n.) A hydragogue medicine, usually a cathartic or diuretic.
Mordant n. A reagent, such as tannic acid, that fixes dyes to cells, tissues, or textiles or other materials. A corrosive substance, such as an acid, used in etching.
Nervine n. nervous tonic
purgative adj. Tending to cleanse or purge, especially causing evacuation of the bowels.
n. A purgative agent or medicine; a cathartic.
Purulence n. The condition of containing or discharging pus.
rubefacient n. a substance that increase blood circulation locally, usually on the skin
sialogue n. a substance that increases the flow of saliva
simple n. an herb used alone as a complet form of prevention or treatment
specific n. A medicne that has a special effect on a particualr disease. Apparently there is no such thing in herbal medicine.
Stomachic n. a medicine that strengthens or stimulates the stomach; adj. Beneficial to or stimulating digestion in the stomach
sudorific n. see diaphoretic
tonic n. a substance that invigorates the system acting as a stimualant or nutritive builder.
Unguent n. A salve for soothing or healing; an ointment
Vermifuge n. A medicine that expels intestinal worms.
vulnerary n. a substance for treating wounds, anitseptic or healing
posted by ray pistrum at Monday, August 15, 2005
4 Comments:
This seems like a good place to interject that you could just make up terms such as vacapocalyptic; the pressure in your noggin when neighbors cows get into your business and you have to yell, chase, hit them with trucks and shoot them to drive them off.
Jim
Dear Jim,
I am very sorry to hear about your trouble with cows. Do you think any evil cows were involved?
Also vacapocalyptic is a very interesting word. I see it has a Spanish root.
Rayetta
They are evil white cows covered with millions of biting flys sent as a novel way to torment my work shirking ass. I shot at them (double ought buck at 50 feet)and they had many red spots on their asses but that did not encourge them to strongly to leave. Running into them with a 2 ton vehicle that was blaring it's horn did motovate them to leave the locale and head to the creek but as of yesterday they were still lurking in the tall weeds along the creek waiting for me to let my guard down.
The dumb cow owners around here are mostly rich twits with no sense and keep them cows to play pretend cowboy like our dunderhead and thief does up yonder waco way. The three places that have cows all have big rich white guy idiot gates so you can't drive up and say your dumb cows are loose and I plan to have a cow massacre unles you come and get them quick.
new word "caucasragacide" angry hicks with high powered semi-automatic weapons eliminating the object of their anger.
JEEZ LOUISE!
Sounds like time for a BBQ. I'll bet those cows would eat up all the bracted twist flower if we had any out there.
Maybe you should call the sherriff on those cows. They like to chase wayward bests around.
Ray
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