Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

viscera if one gives it without correcting it.’
Opium: ‘It ulcerates the mouth and tongue. It makes one sleep a
long time. Opium used as an eye lotion make some almost lose their
sight, others become deaf because of putting poppy juice in their ears.’
1546 Valerius Cordus (1515–1544), a Nuremberg physician writes the
‘Dispensatorium’, the first German pharmacopoeia (Das
Dispensatorium des Valerius Cordus: Faksimile des im Jahre 1546
erschienenen ersten Druckes durch Joh. Petreium in Nurnberg) [The
Dispensatorium of Valerius Cordus: a facsimile of the 1546 First
Edition by Joh. Petreium of Nuremberg] by Valerius Cordus; Ludwig
Winkler. Publisher: Mittenwald (Bayern): Buchdruckerei und Verlag
Arthur Nemayer, 1934). Composed of prescriptions. He described
the synthesis of ether and named it oleum dulce vitrioli (Sweet oil of
vitriol). At about the same time, Swiss physician and alchemist
Paracelsus discovered the hypnotic effects of ether.
‘Medicine makes people ill, mathematics makes them sad, and
theology makes them sinful.’ Martin Luther (1483–1546).
‘Kreüter Buch’ [Herbal book] by Hieronymus Bock (1498–1554)
published by Wendel Rihel in 1546. Classified 700 plants by
characteristics and medicinal use.
Henbane: ‘Henbane flowers and seeds are of a cold nature,
should seldom be ingested for this plant when ingested is harmful,
not alone to man, but also to all cattle. This can be seen from the fish
in the water when the fish are tricked by tramps with Henbane and
Rokilien grains 84 , that they are made crazed by it, leap up, and finally
turn whit side up that in such stupor they may be caught with the
hands. The hens on the eaves fall down when they are exposed to
the smoke of Henbane. Such artful tricks are dome by the gypsies
and their folk.’
‘Henbane flowers and seeds serve for sleep, calm pain, but too
much used make one wild and crazed’ ‘In summary, green Henbane
leaves, its seeds and essences, should only be taken externally to
calm pain and to promote sleep.’
‘A lytel herball of the properties of herbes’, newly amended and
corrected, with certain additions at the end of the book, declaring
what herbs have influence of certain stars and constellations, wherby
84 Rokilien = Despite extensive searches I have been unable to find the meaning of this word. It might be
related to ‘Rauke’ rocket which has been used in India as an aphrodisiac or to ‘Roggen rye’, if the latter, then
henbane mixed with rye bread would be a fish bait.