Antall József – Buzinkay Géza szerk.: Népi gyógyítás Magyarországon / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 7-8. (Budapest, 1975)

Hoppál Mihály—Törő László: Népi gyógyítás Magyarországon (magyar és angol nyelven)

88 Comm. Hist. Artis Med. Suppl. 7—8. (1975) sources. We have not explored for example the influence of neighbouring peoples. In the case of stramony (Datura stramonium) we have a much more simple instance of cultural borrowing. Béla Gunda quotes the view of István Hanusz that the plant has been known in Transylvania only in the past 250 years,

3

1 but even in Western Europe it has been known only since the 16th century.

3

2 Botanists trace its genie origins to Mexico.

3

3 It is already mentioned in the Herbarium of Péter Melius Juhász, but it becomes evident that it is not a domestic plant: "It grows where the fruit of the palm tree grows. It is brought from Egypt and is an ensnaring plantThe 16th century Hungarian medical reference to the wonder tree is probably the castor-oil plant (Melius uses this terminology).

3

3 Folk medicine uses it primarily to relieve pain, particulary its seeds are so utilized. In Tápé it was soaked in methylated alcohol and the solution rubbed on the part of the body in pain.

3

6 Similarly, in Hajdúnánás it was used for pain relief

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7 and in Orosháza for treatment of boils.

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8 We also have information on fumigation with stramony. In Orosháza, for example, its seeds are thrown on embers and the patient suffering from toothache leans over them. Thus "tuose worms will be removed."

39 The same belief and practice can be observed in Hajdúnánás.

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0 This case may be of interest because we have data concerning the smoking of henbane (Hyosciamus niger) seeds from the 13th century. Gyula MagyaryKossa

's book displays an illustration of Sudhoff showing the patient leaning over the smoking medium with mouth open.

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1 The author asserts that this treatment "is an ancient recipe to relieve tooth ache, which we may have brought from Asia!"

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2 Possibly the early use of henbane smoking was followed subsequently by the use of stramony, which became known only later. This supposition seems to be confirmed by the identity of the effective ingredients contained in the two herbs; hiosciamin. The effectiveness of both plants as pain and cramp relievers has been substantiated.

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3 3

1 Hanusz, 1905. 43. Quoted by B. Gunda 1966. 95. 3

2 Gunda, 1966. 95. 3

3 Mándy 1971. 204. 3

4 Méliusz Juhász, 1962. 138. Méliusz adapted numerous data and indications from the Kreuterbuch. 3

5 Méliusz Juhász, op. cit. 135. cf. Boirbás 1893. 96. 3

6 Greszné 1944. 9. 3

7 Igmándi—Kelemen 1943. 210. 3

8 Sós, 1965. 589. 3

0 Grÿñaeųs, 1965. Data Nr. 412, 462.; Oláh, 1965, 293.; Sós, 1965. 590. 4

0 Igmándy—Kelemen, 1943. 210. 4

1 Magyary-Kossa, 1931. III. 263. 4

2 Magyary-Kossa, 1931. III. 262. 4

3 We mention here that the Hungarian word maszlag (stramony, stramonium) occurs first in the 16th century. According to G. Bárczi, the word is of Arabian origin meaning "vertiginous drink, arsenic, poison" Cf. Bárczi, 1958. 70—71.