WESTERN CLASSIFICATION of the MATERIA MEDICA
4e. STOMACHIC
Medicines for the Stomach
These are medicines appropriated to the Stomach.
Aphorisms on Stomachic, collected by Culpeper, (Composita, 1656):
- The Ventricle [Stomach] is afflicted with three kinds of Maladies: 1. Appetite lost. 2. Concoction [Digestion] weakened. 3. The retentive faculty vitiated.
- Those things which provoke appetite are usually of a grateful sharpness.
- Those things further concoction [digestion], which either cherish the ventricle by convenient Heat, or Aromatical faculty, or strengthen it by Astral propriety.
- Of which latter, take this one, the internal Skin of the Ventricle of a Hen [Chicken Gizzard Skin], helps concoction [digestion] exceedingly, nothing like it, and thereby resist all diseases proceeding from want of digestion.
- The retentive faculty being vitiated, causes belching, vomiting and fluxes [Diarrhea].
- These are corrected by astringent medicines, and yet some astringent medicines are very adverse to the Stomach, therefore use only such as are Stomachical.
- Such things as help Concoction [digestion] … ought to be given before meat [food]. The reasons are, 1. Because Heat is to be stirred up in the inferior, not in the superior part of the Ventricle [Stomach]. 2. Because the Ventricle ought to be made warm before it recieves the food.
- The manner of administration of such things as bind the Ventricle, is to be regulated according to the end of giving them. Against Vomiting give them after repast [a meal], against Fluxes [Diarrhea] before. For being given after, they drive the nourishment downwards, and are more subject to cause a flux than to stop it.
Sample Combinations
1. Camomile, Rhubarb, Caraway, Orange peel
2. Ginger, Elecampane, Licorice
3. Wormwood, Cinnamon
4. Blessed Thistle, Mint, Camomile
5. Centaury, Orange peel
6. Zedoary, Ginger, Lemon peel
