as a cure for gout, and Larrey designed a little instrument to facilitate the application. Sometimes chemicals were combined, and the stem of the sunflower cut into inch lengths, the pith being burnt, was also used. The operation of course gave great pain, and after a time it was doubted if it did any good.
Nasalia. See Errhines.
Noctiluca. The name given by Boyle to the phosphorus which he made before the latter word became general.
Nutrition. A term used in old pharmacy to signify the act of combining substances in a mortar or by agitation until they acquired the proper consistence. Unguentum nutritum, for example, was an ointment made by stirring together in a mortar some lead plaster with oil and vinegar and generally some belladonna juice.
Nychthemeron meant maceration for a day and night, that is for 24 hours. It appears sometimes in directions for treating herbs and flowers previous to distillation.
Obolos, a Greek weight equal to half a scruple.
Œnclaion, a mixture of wine and oil.
Œnogala, a mixture of wine and milk.
Œnomeli, a mixture of wine and honey.
Œsypus, the name given by Dioscorides to wool fat.
Ointments among the Greeks and Romans were generally liquids. Anything used to anoint with, not being oil simply, was an ointment (miron in Greek, unguentum in Latin). From the Greek word was derived Myrepsus, which meant an ointment maker.
Opiates were originally electuaries containing opium or some other narcotic. Gradually, however, the word
