lost its significance and was used to indicate any medicinal substance of the same character. It is sometimes used for tooth pastes.
Oxycroceum was the name of a plaster among the ingredients of which were vinegar and saffron.
Panchrest. A remedy for all complaints.
Panchymagogon. A medicine to purify all the humours. Pulp of colocynth, black hellebore, diagrydium, of each 2-1/2 ounces; senna, rhubarb, of each 4 ounces; species of diarrhodon abattis, hermodactils, turbith, agaric, aloes, of each 1 ounce. Make an extract with cinnamon water, adding the salt from the fæces. Dose, 20 to 30 grains. Calomel was called "mineral panchymagogon."
Pedilavium. A decoction of herbs intended to bathe the feet with to induce sleep.
Pelican. A glass vessel with a tubular neck and provided with two beaks, one opposite the other, which conducted the vapour back to the lower part of the vessel, so that cohobation or redistillation was continually being carried on.
Periapt. An amulet hung round the neck, or applied to some other part of the body, to preserve the wearer from contagion, or to drive away evil spirits.
Pessary, from Greek "pessos," a little round stone used in a game. Pessaries were in very common use by the Greek women for every kind of vaginal complaint. They were little balls of wool or lint which were medicated in various ways.
Pill. The word "pilula" is first found in Pliny, who says "Pharmaca illa in globulos conformata vulgo pilulæ nominamus." See "Katapotia."
Poison is the same word as "potion." Both originally meant a draught.
Polychrest. A medicine of many virtues,
