Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
An Irish Materia Medica (Author: Tadhg Ó Cuinn)
subsection 241
241. Scamonia: hot and dry in the third degree; it purges the choleric humour principally, and the melancholic humour secondarily; to purge the choleric humour, there should not be given less than a scruple,
p.618
but in the case of the other complexes two or three scruples may be given; it is suitable for the tertian fever provided there is not too much high temperature there; it serves well against intemperance of the liver, against jaundice, and against lack of appetite caused by excess of the choleric humour. It is of benefit against the forms of gout that come from hotness; it should not be given on its own, without being mixed with other medicines. Take note that it is not scammonia except when it has not been boiled, and, when it has been boiled, it is named diagredium. It is dangerous to give this medicine, because sometimes it adheres to the sides of the stomach, it provokes hiccup and vomiting, and it is bad for those who have a liver that is hot by nature or accidentally, as we have said.