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LICHENS AS MEDICINE 409
directions for its preparation as a cure for chest complaints. The doctrine
of "signatures" influenced practitioners in its favour, but it contains lichenin
which acts as an emollient. In England, it was taken up by the famous
1
Dr Culpepper , who, however, believed in astrology even more than in sig-
"
natures. He : says it is of great use with many physicians to help the
diseases of the lungs and for coughs, wheesings and shortness of breath
which it cureth both in man and beast." He adds that "Jupiter seems to
own the herb." A century later we find Dr John Hill 12
, who was a physician
as well as a naturalist, stating that the great tree lung-wort has been at all
times famous in diseases of the breast and lungs, but by that time "it was
not much used owing to change in fashions."
The only lichen that has stood the test of time and experience as a real
remedy is Cetraria islandica, and even the " Iceland moss " is now rarely
prescribed. The first mention in literature of this famous plant occurs in
Cordus 3 as the Muscus with crisp leaves. Some years later it figures among
the medicinal plants in Sibbald's 4 Chronicle of the Scottish Flora, and Ray 5
wrote of it about the same time as being known for its curative and alimentary
properties. It was Linnaeus 6
7
and later ,
Scopoli who it
, gave the
important place it held so long in medicine. It has been used with advantage
in many chronic affections as an emollient and tonic. Cramer 8 in a lengthy
dissertation gathered together the facts pertaining to its use as a food,
a medicine and for dyeing, and he gives recipes he had himself prescribed
with marked success in many different maladies. It has been said that if
"Iceland moss" accomplished all the good it was alleged to do, it was indeed
a " Divine gift to man."
The physiological action of cetrarin (acid principle of the lichen) on
living creatures has been studied by Kobert 9 and his pupils. It has not any
poisonous effect when injected into the blood, nor does it work any harm
when taken into the stomach even of small animals, so that it may be safely
given to the most delicate patients. Nearly always after small doses peristaltic
movements in the intestines are induced which indicate that as
a drug it might be of service in the case of enfeebled organs. In larger
doses it may cause collapse in animals, but if administered as free cetraric
acid it passes through the stomach unchanged to become slowly and completely
dissolved in the intestine. The mucous membrane of the intestine
of animals that had been treated with an overdose, was found to be richer
in blood so that it seems as if cetrarin might be of service in chlorosis and
in assisting digestion.
Cetrarin has also been proved to be a nerve excitant which might be
used with advantage in mental maladies.
1
Culpepper 1652.
6
Linna^s 1737.
s
* *
Hill 1751. Cordus 1561.
Sibbald 1684. Ray 1686.
7
8
Scopoli 1760.
Cramer 1880.
Kobert 1895.