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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · English Edition

Gerhard Dorn and John French

A Chymical Dictionary

An Expanded Diotimos Lexicon of Paracelsian and Alchemical Language

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A Chymical DictionaryAnodyna

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Anodyna

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A Chymical Dictionary

p. 451

Anodyna

Body disease and historical medicine · A Chymical Dictionary

At a Glance

The word. A class of medicines grouped by their intended sleep-producing effect.

A place to read. The historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 4; facsimile PDF page 332.

Historical Definition

Anodyna are medicines that induce sleep.

Meaning

This is an effect-based category rather than the name of a single ingredient. The plural matters: different preparations may be gathered under the same intended action. The dictionary records how the historical medicines were classified, without identifying their constituents or establishing their effectiveness.

Compare Narcotica and Sedativa when an author distinguishes sleep, stupor or calming. The existence of neighbouring effect terms is a reason to follow the particular author’s description rather than assume that all such medicines are equivalent. A modern therapeutic recommendation cannot be inferred from this historical gloss.

Places to Read

Narcotica. Medicines classified through a sleep-producing effect.

Sedativa. Remedies classified by relief of pain.

Historical source: 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 4; facsimile PDF page 332 — Facsimile

Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Anodyna ; compare Narcotica, Sedativa

See also. Narcotica; Sedativa

451

About This Reading Edition

The complete 706 historical definitions of the 1650 English dictionary, modernised and accompanied by expanded Diotimos commentary, reading routes, 15 textual notes and complete linked indexes.

Historical Text

A Chymicall Dictionary, London 1650, English version associated with John French, based on Gerhard Dorn’s Dictionarium Theophrasti Paracelsi. The containing volume also prints Sendivogius and Paracelsus; neither neighboring work changes this dictionary’s attribution.

About This Edition

Complete 706 definition paragraphs with new introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes; Diotimos Editions, 2026.

Rights

The historical 1650 English text is in the public domain. New introduction, commentary, reading guides and indexes are © 2026 Diotimos Editions and published with the site owner’s authorization.