Page:Dan McKenzie - Aromatics and the Soul.pdf/83

Rh, one of which, zebethum occidentale, was his own invention. Fortunately I am not compelled to divulge the constitution of this remarkable remedy. All I need say is that it was by no means the “cassia, sandal-buds, and stripes of labdanum” of Browning's “Paracclsus” !

Those unspeakable medicaments were (and are still) sometimes applied externally, sometimes administered internally. One of the most absurd variants of this class was the holding of divers foul-smelling mixtures under the patient's nose for the cure of hysteria, the idea being that the stench would repel the “mother” from the patient’s throat, whither it had wandered through sheer boredom and lack of interest elsewhere.

Nevertheless, out of these most absurd and to us meaningless methods of treatment modern medicine has here and there selected remedies which experiment and experience have proved to be of value ; valerian, for example, which is still largely employed for hysterical conditions, and asafœtida (popularly named “devil’s dung”).

As a matter of fact, many pungent, strong-smelling substances are powerful cardiac and muscular stimulants.

Nor must we overlook the carminatives, the pleasantly smelling dill, aniseed, rue and peppermint, the very names of which bring to our minds