From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordMedicines classified through a sleep-producing effect.
- In the bookMitigativa are defined through allaying pain.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 34; facsimile PDF page 362.
Historical definition
Narcotica are medicines that cause sleep.
Meaning
The intended effect defines the class. No ingredient, preparation or duration of sleep is specified. The heading therefore covers a therapeutic category rather than one named compound.
Use in the book
Mitigativa are defined through allaying pain. The two effects may appear together in a medical discussion, but the dictionary does not make their respective classes identical. Laudanum is a particular compound with stated ingredients, a different kind of definition again.
Places to read
- NarcoticaRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- MitigativaA class of surgical medicines defined by easing pain.
- LaudanumA Paracelsian compound defined here through gold, coral and pearl.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 34; facsimile PDF page 362 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymical Dictionary 1650, 1650 dictionary, facsimile PDF page 362, Narcotica