Galangal spice treatise

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Galangal Spice Tract is the name for a collection of drug monographs. From the 14th century onwards, the galangal spice treatise was integrated into pharmacopoeias, both in the local language and in the Latin version, with a focus on Central Dutch - Central Low German as well as in the Upper German- speaking area.

author

The author cannot be determined to this day. The author of the Latin version was wrongly assumed to be the Danish canon Henrik Harpestræng or a (possibly never real) clerical doctor of the 13th or early 14th century named Magister "Alexander Hispanus".

content

Illustrations of clove root and angelica in Vitus Auslasser's book of herbs 1479

Up to 50 drug monographs were lined up in the galangal spice treatise without a foreword or an afterword. The individual monographs were usually introduced by a brief characterization of the drug treated according to the criteria of humoral theory (hot / cold - moist / dry). This was followed by a list of indications, which were mainly based on the herbal medicine known up to the 14th century. Mostly the following order of the monographs was adhered to, the number of which varied from manuscript to manuscript:

Galganum … Cynäber … Muscatum, Muscat … Cariofilus, Nargel … Cynamo, Cymeinum … Zytber … Piper, Pepper … Lauribaca, Lorwer … Alleum, Chloblauch … Synapis, Sanif … Cepe, Zwival … Porrum, Leek … Papaver, Stomach … Enula, Alant … Rhaphanus maior, radish … Raphanus minor, Chren … Rapula, Ruben … Caseus siccus et durus, Chas … Ova dura, Ayer … Mylium, Hirsch … Pisa, Arbeis … Faba, Pon … Canapum, hemp … Rosa … Fiola, Vyol … Salvia … Ruta, rods … hyssopus , hyssop… petrosilinum, parsley … Artemisia, Pesmalten, Puggel … absinthium, wormwood … Urtica minor, klain nettle … Marrubium, Andor … Abrotanum, Abrunten … Origanum, Wolgemud … Pulegium, Polay … Verbena, Eisenchraut … Wegwart … Mille folium, Wuntchraut … Plantago, plantain … Benedicta ruffa … Benedicta alba… Angelica, des hailgen gaistes Wurtz … Pimpinella, Pipernell … Betonica, Patonig … Serpentina, Nater Wurcz … Malva, Papel … Mentu, Dyemente … Lactuca, Latuch … Agrimonia .

In the galangal spice tract, the drugs were treated for the first time: "Benedicta ruffa", "Benedicta alba" and "Angelica, the hailig gaistes Wurtz". “Benedicta ruffa” can be interpreted as real carnation root. The meaning of “Benedicta alba” is uncertain. "Angelica, the Thai gaistes Wurtz" is angelica . Angelica only grows north of the Alps. In the northern European herbal manuscripts of the Middle Ages, which invoked authorities from the Mediterranean region, the drug was missing until the galangal spice treatise appeared.

Angelica in a Latin galangal spice treatise. (Madrid. Biblioteca nacional, manuscript 8769, 14th century) Angelica in an Alemannic galangal spice. (Heidelberg. Cpg 620.Southwest Germany, 15th century sheet 92v-93r.)
Angelica est radix optima, que multum valet contra incantationes. Quicumque eam secum portaverit. Item in mane sumpta vino vel cibo, venenum eicit et defendit. Item valet eciam contusa et decocta cum favo contra morsum canis rabidi, si supra vulnus ligata fuerit. Item valet eciam contra lassitudinem et fatigacionem itineris et contra vomitum, si comesta fuerit. Angelica is a noble root when who sÿ peÿ im trät or neusset who likes kain witch hazel nit harmed. It is also good for everyone poisoned when you eat yourself with wine. Si rainiget also the prust from all stinckenten fäwthikait and holds the angry hunt pis when one pokes sy with honey and puts it over the pass. Si makes fun of eating cze and drives away the undäung.
Illustration for the chapter “Angelica water” in the small distilling book using a woodcut by Meum from a Hortus sanitatis

It was only in 1500 appeared little Destillierbuch of Hieronymus Brunschwig the angelica found its way into the printed herbals. Brunschwig adopted the indications given in the Angelica chapter of the galangal spice treatise. He looked for an herb among the "old people" that looked and acted like angelica. He found it in the “ master Würtz from the Latin called ostrici” . Masterwort grew, and still grows today, both south and north of the Alps. It was dealt with in detail in the works of the "ancients" ( Dioscurides , Pliny ...).

“Angelica wasser vom krut keyn alter philo [so] phus schriben is / darumb syn latin name from the tütschen in practice is angelica. But in Tütscher tongues called the holy spirit roots of vilen brust wurtz / darumb dz it is superfluous d breast is comfortable / and is a lineage of the masters würtz of the latins called ostrici . But angelica gender is two yey / wild vnd zam / krut vnd ​​stalk in the leng ii. elbow high. dz wild called by the tütschen bůchalter. [...] "

- Hieronymus Brunschwig : Small distilling book , Strasbourg 1500, sheet 20r

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Paul Hauberg. Henrik Harpestræng. Liber herbarum . Copenhagen 1936.
  2. ^ Karl Sudhoff . Alexander Hispanus and the written work under his name. A first word about him and announcement of his medical writings. In: Sudhoff's archive. 29 (1936), pp. 289-312; 30 (1937), pp. 1-25.
  3. ^ Gundolf Keil . Henrik Harpestræng . In: The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author Lexicon. 2nd Edition. Volume 3, Col. 476-479.
  4. ↑ Ute Mauch: A medieval herbal book from the 14th century, a new version of the Latin Macer? In: Gesnerus. Volume 63, 2006, pp. 181-208, here: p. 190.
  5. ^ Gundolf Keil: Hispanus, Alexanser. In: Author's Lexicon . 2nd Edition. Volume 4, Col. 53-58.
  6. ↑ Ute Mauch: Description of the Codex Mss / 8769 of the Bibliotheca National in Madrid and notes on the 'Melleus liquor physicae artis magistri Alexandri Yspani'. In: Specialized prose research - Crossing borders. Volume 2/3, 2006/2007 (2008), pp. 59-80.
  7. ^ Bernhard Schnell and William Crossgrove. The German Macer. Vulgate version. With an impression of the Latin Macer floridus "De viribus herbarum". Issued critically. Niemeyer, Tübingen 2003, pp. 150–153.
  8. ^ Promptuarium medicinae . Lübeck 1483, sheet 7: “Benedicta wortele not dat krud to artzedigē [Benedicta root not the herb for medicine]. Negelken krud groffeliatē pes leporinus Salua mundi… “ Berlin State Library
  9. ↑ Hermann Fischer . Medieval botany. Verlag Munich Prints, Munich 1929, p 270: Geum urbanum ... benedicta ( Hildegard von Bingen -Handschriften Physica handwriting, Paris Cod 6952, 15th century (1425-1450); Book I, Chapter 163rd. . Charles Victor Daremberg and Friedrich Anton Reuss, S. Hildegardis Abbatissae Subtilitatum Diversarum Naturarum Creaturarum Libri Novem. Migne, Paris 1855. Sp. 1192 Bayerische Staatsbibliothek)… sanamunda, negeleinkraut (… Gart der Gesundheit Cap. 179: Filla benedictenwortz Cap. 205: Gariofillata, negelyn krut or benedicta ) pes leporis, cariofilata gariofilata (Gloss.)… benedicta rubea ( Vitus Auslasser Clm 5905, sheet 153r Bayerische Staatsbibliothek ).
  10. ^ After: Karl Sudhoff. Alexander Hispanus and the written work under his name. A first word about him and announcement of his medical writings. In: Sudhoff's archive. 30 (1937), p. 4.
  11. ↑ Heidelberg. Cpg 620, sheet 92v
  12. ↑ Johannes Gottfried Mayer . The first printed herbal books and the Angelika water of the Donaueschingen Tauler manuscript. In: Würzburg specialist prose studies. Königshausen & Neumann, Würzburg 1995, pp. 156–177. Ascetic composite manuscript. Zurich 4th quarter 15th century Karlsruhe, State Library Cod. Donaueschingen 293, sheet 1r
  13. ↑ Hieronymus Brunschwig. Small distilling book. Strasbourg 1500, sheet 20r-20v Bayerische Staatsbibliothek digitized

Web links

Further text witnesses in: Willem F. Daems and Gundolf Keil. Henrik Harpestraeng's “Latinske Urtebog” in the medieval Netherlands. With a list of old German “Urtebog” traditions. In: Specialized prose studies. Contributions to the medieval history of science. Erich Schmidt Verlag, Berlin 1982, pp. 396-416.