Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
as the camphor tree was usually in areas
infested by tigers (
numūr
, several mss. mis-
takenly
nusūr
, “eagles”), the resin could
only be obtained at fixed times of the year
when the tigers had dispersed. The wood
is described as white, soft and very light.
After the drawing off of the resin, the tree
dies off. The diverging descriptions in the
sources imply no contradiction, but only
different procedures existing side by side.
The main significance of camphor lay
however in its officinal uses. Already al-
Kindī (
The Medical Formulary or Aqrābadhīn
,
tr. M. Levey, 1966) brought together a
series of camphor recipes useful for swol-
len liver, complaints of the larynx, inflam-
mations of the mucous membrane of the
mouth, and so on. The same author, or
one of his pupils, composed a document
about the production of fragrant oils and
salves by means of “heightenings” (
taīdāt
,
primitive distillations), in which camphor
played an important part. Camphor is use-
ful as a source of perfume, as a compress
for acute fevers, headache, etc. By far the
most exhaustive description, together with
a statement of his sources, is provided by
Ibn al-Bayār.
most likely this is just a falsification using
elephant teeth. Falsifications were also
done with the burnt bones of ram's heads,
whenever the price for
abā
ª
īr
, which
in its Indian place of origin was practi-
cally worthless, was higher in the outside
world. Others consider
abā
ª
īr
to be the
roots of “Indian cane” (
al-aab al-hindī
).
The white, light, and soft concretions
which were easily crushed and pulver-
ised were considered the best (according
to others those with a blueish hue). The
Indians held especially the “knots” (
uad
)
and the dirham-size disks inside the stems
in high esteem.
abā
ª
īr
had been part
of the Indian
materia medica
as of old; the
Persian- Arabic name is supposed to be a
translation of a Sanskrit word.
The medicinal effects attributed to
abā
ª
īr
are manifold. Taken internally or
externally, it is used against inflamma-
tions of the gall bladder; it fortifies the
stomach, is efficacious against high fever
and thirst, lowers the heat of the liver, is
beneficial against ulcers, pustules, haem-
orrhoids, and stomatitis of children. It is
astringent, tonic, and a mild expectorant
due to its slight bitterness. It is beneficial
against eye inflammations, fortifies the
heart, calms down heart palpitations and
soothes stomach troubles of all kinds. Its
application is also recommended in cases
of diarrhoea and chronic liver ailments.
(A. Dietrich)
Bamboo
abā
ª
īr
is a medicament used in medi-
aeval Islam. It is a crystalline concretion
in the internodes of the bamboo (
Bambusa
arundinacea Willd., Gramineae
). The concre-
tions, also known as “bamboo sugar”,
consist of silicic acid, silicates, and car-
bonate of calcium. They are extracted
by burning the bamboo stems, often also
through auto-combustion due to the heat
by mutual friction of the stems when
moved by strong winds. Some believed the
concretions to be burnt elephant bones;
(A. Dietrich)
Artemisia
·
ī (Ar., from Aramaic
sīā
) is the
plant species Artemisia,
Compositae
.
The word was probably used by the
Arabs as a collective noun for the some
200 types of this species, spread in the
Mediterranean area and the temperate
latitudes. These types occur as herbs and
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