Ancient Medicine
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Castoreum
Castoreum is a yellowish exudate from the castor sacs of mature beavers. Beavers use castoreum in combination with urine to scent mark their territory. Both beaver sexes have a pair of castor sacs and a pair of… Read more.
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Mithridatism
Mithridatism is the practice of protecting oneself against a poison by gradually self-administering non-lethal amounts. The word is derived from Mithridates VI, the King of Pontus, who so feared being poisoned that he regularly ingested… Read more.
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Mithridate
Mithridate, also known asĀ mithridatium,Ā mithridatum, orĀ mithridaticum, is a semi-mythical remedy with as many as 65 ingredients, used as anĀ antidoteĀ forĀ poisoning, and said to have been created byĀ Mithridates VI Eupator of PontusĀ in the… Read more.
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Theriac or theriaca (medical concoction)
TheriacĀ orĀ theriacaĀ is a medical concoction originally labelled by theĀ GreeksĀ in the 1st century AD and widely adopted in the ancient world as far away asĀ Persia,Ā ChinaĀ andĀ IndiaĀ via the trading links of theĀ Silk Route.[1]Ā It was… Read more.
