Roman Narcotics

[Pertinax]

Gaius Octavius has posted elsewhere as regards codeine as a patent medicine.We have many references to the Poppy as a painkiller in the Roman world. I reiterate that the quality and strength of the plant varied as one moved away from the intense fertitlity of Egypt toward the frigidity of Thule ( I oversimplify but the idea is not irrational).

 

The narcotic properties of the plant were well known to Greek and Roman, "opium" is the dried latex obtained from incisions in the unripe fruits of Papaver somniferum (but other varieties have milder abilities). As the plant contains over 40 recognisable alkaloids its speed of ingestion and action is unsurprising, meconic acid is the signature compound for recognition.

 

the main alkoloids are as follows: and perhaps a skilled physician in ancient times could intuitively produce these variants by experiment and experience:

morphine (8-14%) main narcotic, analgesic (pain relief)

noscapine (4-8%) antitussive -relieves a serious cough!

codeine (2-4%) antitussive, mild narcotic

papaverine (0.5-1%) muscle relaxant

 

note heroin is a modern synthetic derivative and much more toxic and habit forming thamn morphine.

I have noted elsewhere the history of morphine dependency from men wounded in the American Civil War.

[Pertinax]

A snippet of information that I was unaware of , the historical advisor on HBO Rome puts forward as fact that undertakers (being the only persons allowed to handle dead bodies (and hence the only ones with an intimate knowledge of anatomy) in Republican times ) hired themselves out as part time torturers to the Legions.

I really wasnt sure which thread to slot this into , but I thought narcotics and pain are appropraite bedfellows.

Anyone care to dispute or support this most interesting remark?

[WotWotius]

Pertinax, what Roman treatment would recommend for a tooth abscess? I am due to have one removed tomorrow, and I was wondering what a Roman may have taken to take away the pain.

[Pertinax]

Pertinax, what Roman treatment would recommend for a tooth abscess? I am due to have one removed tomorrow, and I was wondering what a Roman may have taken to take away the pain.

I regret that the chewing of Opium poppy skins might be frowned upon in a backward society such as ours.

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=828

Similarly, were I to give you some Henbane seeds, or a tincture of Henbane in sweet wine , if you were distracted at the moment of ingestion you might not awake. Inhaling the smoke of the Thornapple would be good , but you would forget to go to the dentist.

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=180

 

I desist, also from offering the advice of Pliny , namely that you chew on some pitch resin to remove any poisoned teeth.

 

My modern herbs would be: some clove oil as a direct application , some valerian for nerve pain, and sage to wash and disinfect the mouth.Good luck! Dont let anyone hammer a hot iron tooth into your gum like so:-

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=923

[WotWotius]

I regret that the chewing of Opium poppy skins might be frowned upon in a backward society such as ours.

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=828

Similarly, were I to give you some Henbane seeds, or a tincture of Henbane in sweet wine , if you were distracted at the moment of ingestion you might not awake. Inhaling the smoke of the Thornapple would be good , but you would forget to go to the dentist.

 

Maybe I should just stick to Paracetamol...but thanks anyway.

 

Dont let anyone hammer a hot iron tooth into your gum like so

 

Ouch! Just looking at that has put me into a further state of pain!

Edited August 3, 2006 by WotWotius

[Pertinax]

That was a trifle insensitive of me . :bag:

[WotWotius]

That was a trifle insensitive of me . :bag:

 

That's fine, don't worry.

[Skarr]

Chewing on willow (bark or leaves) may have been a method as well, since it was advocated by Hippocrates in the 5th Century BC. Later, Galen also echoed the same sentiment about willow, which contains a type of acid that is similar to that found in modern aspirin. The Egyptians also mention about myrtle trees and a preparation made from the drying of their leaves, which is also used to treat pain.

 

In ancient Rome, both Greek and Egyptian physicians were in much demand and a Roman nobleman would probably consult several physicians, a second or third opinion if you will, as well as resorting to less scientific methods such as offerings to the gods, haruspicy and so on.

[Pertinax]

Now the Myrtle reference is very interesting -because my "modern" suggestion was clove oil, which is a member of the myrtle family. The willow is of course correct, remiss of me to forget it, a source of salicylic acid (as in acetaldehyde salicylic acid-aspirin in its manufactured form), the only problem with the white willow is its vile taste, if youve ever chewed an asprin the tounge curdling acidity is a hint of the natural taste (though you cannot suffer acetelyne poisoning as you can with too much asprin).

 

edit: wintergreen and meadowsweet herb would be other sources, meadowsweet being the original base for the manufacture of asprin

[Pertinax]

Haruspicy and the reading of the organs of animals is also pertinent, if the organs were deformed or mottled then the reading would be unfavourable ( so a canny bet would be to get well favoured,young animals for the divination).

[M. Porcius Cato]

According to the History Channel, the Pythia at Delphi ate great quantities of laurel leaves so she could enter a trance and thereby deliver Apollo's oracles. Is there any pharmacological substance to this supposition? It sounds like hooey to me.

[Lost_Warrior]

Laurel is a known poison, but I don't know the why or wherefor. Only that it should never be eaten.

 

Deer love it though. They nearly destroyed my poor little laurel :cry:

[Andrew Dalby]

Laurel is a known poison, but I don't know the why or wherefor. Only that it should never be eaten.

 

Deer love it though. They nearly destroyed my poor little laurel :cry:

 

It depends what laurel you mean. The tree the Romans called laurus, the same as the Greek daphne (Laurus nobilis scientifically) is an aromatic leaf, dark green (not variegated), often with slightly crinkled edges. This is not poisonous, at least not in normal quantities, and is an important culinary flavouring. The leaves are strongly and pleasantly aromatic when you break them. This is also the proper one to wear in a laurel wreath, because the main point of wreaths originally was to smell nice. In English it is either laurel or bay.

 

The other one, the inedible one (Prunus laurocerasus scientifically) has larger, variegated, yellow-to-green leaves, and lots of purple-to-black fruits on fruiting spikes. It's common in gardens in England. It's a very strongly-growing tree, difficult to get rid of when well established. Maybe I need some deer, I have too much of this in my garden. I don't know its origin but I don't think it was known to Greeks and Romans. You can call it cherry-laurel, but many people call it laurel.

 

I hope Pertinax will turn up, and add to or correct this posting ...

[Lost_Warrior]

The laurel I mean is "mountain laurel", the smaller, wild veriety of Rhodedendron. When it crosses with a Rhodedendron it is very odd, huge leaves, sometimes as big as six inches long and really wide. I saw a whole forest full of these mutants once.

[WotWotius]

According to the History Channel, the Pythia at Delphi ate great quantities of laurel leaves so she could enter a trance and thereby deliver Apollo's oracles. Is there any pharmacological substance to this supposition? It sounds like hooey to me.

 

I read somewhere that the oracle at Delphi was situated just above an underground volcano. In order to get intoxicated, she inhaled the fumes emitted from a crater under the temple. I do not know the ins and outs of process, but I think that is was happened.