Opodeldoc
Encyclopedia
Opodeldoc is a name given by the physician
Paracelsus
to a sort of liniment
which he invented, or at least bestowed this name on.
Paracelsus's opodeldoc was a mixture of soap
in alcohol
, to which camphor
and sometimes a number of herb
al essences, most notably wormwood, were added. Paracelsus's recipe forms the basis for most later versions of liniment.
Kurt Peters speculates that the curious name opodeldoc was concocted by Paracelsus from syllables from the words "opoponax, bdellium, and aristolochia." Opoponax
is a variety of myrrh
; bdellium
is Commiphora wightii
, which produces a similar resin; and Aristolochia
is a widely distributed genus
which includes Aristolochia pfeiferi, Aristolochia rugosa and Aristolochia trilobata that are used in folk medicine to cure snakebites.. The name suggests that these aromatic plants may have figured in Paracelsus's recipe.
The Pharmacopoeia
of the United States
(U.S.P.) gives a recipe for opodeldoc that contains:
The name Old Opodeldoc was formerly used as a standard name for a stock character
who was a physician, especially when played as a comic
figure. Edgar Allan Poe
used "Oppodeldoc" as a pseudonym
for a character in the short story
"The Literary Life of Thingum Bob, Esq." Steer's Opodeldoc was a patent medicine
that was widely promoted during Poe's life. As late as the early 1990s 'Epideldoc'(sic) was made up on demand by several pharmacists in the Northwest of England.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
Paracelsus
Paracelsus
Paracelsus was a German-Swiss Renaissance physician, botanist, alchemist, astrologer, and general occultist....
to a sort of liniment
Liniment
Liniment , from the Latin linere, to anoint, is a medicated topical preparation for application to the skin. Preparations of this type are also called balm...
which he invented, or at least bestowed this name on.
Paracelsus's opodeldoc was a mixture of soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
in alcohol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, to which camphor
Camphor
Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...
and sometimes a number of herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
al essences, most notably wormwood, were added. Paracelsus's recipe forms the basis for most later versions of liniment.
Kurt Peters speculates that the curious name opodeldoc was concocted by Paracelsus from syllables from the words "opoponax, bdellium, and aristolochia." Opoponax
Opoponax
Opopanax chironium, also known as sweet myrrh or bisabol myrrh, is a herb that grows one to three feet high and produces a large, yellow inflorescence. The plant thrives in warm climates like Iran, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Somalia, but also grows in cooler climates...
is a variety of myrrh
Myrrh
Myrrh is the aromatic oleoresin of a number of small, thorny tree species of the genus Commiphora, which grow in dry, stony soil. An oleoresin is a natural blend of an essential oil and a resin. Myrrh resin is a natural gum....
; bdellium
Bdellium
Bdellium is an aromatic gum like myrrh that is exuded from a tree. A medieval Arab writer first made the identification with gum guggul, the species Commiphora wightii, although "bdellium" has also been used to identify the African species C. africana and at least one other Indian species, C....
is Commiphora wightii
Commiphora wightii
Commiphora wightii is a flowering plant in the family Burseraceae. The guggul plant may be found from northern Africa to central Asia, but is most common in northern India...
, which produces a similar resin; and Aristolochia
Aristolochia
Aristolochia is a large plant genus with over 500 species. Collectively known as birthworts, pipevines or Dutchman's pipes, they are the namesake of the family . They are widespread and occur in the most diverse climates. Some species, like A. utriformis and A...
is a widely distributed genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
which includes Aristolochia pfeiferi, Aristolochia rugosa and Aristolochia trilobata that are used in folk medicine to cure snakebites.. The name suggests that these aromatic plants may have figured in Paracelsus's recipe.
The Pharmacopoeia
Pharmacopoeia
Pharmacopoeia, pharmacopeia, or pharmacopoea, , in its modern technical sense, is a book containing directions for the identification of samples and the preparation of compound medicines, and published by the authority of a government or a medical or pharmaceutical society.In a broader sense it is...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(U.S.P.) gives a recipe for opodeldoc that contains:
- Powdered soap, 60 grams;
- Camphor, 45 grams;
- OilEssential oilAn essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
of rosemaryRosemaryRosemary, , is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus...
, 10 milliliters; - Alcohol, 700 milliliters;
- Water, enough to make 1000 milliliters
The name Old Opodeldoc was formerly used as a standard name for a stock character
Stock character
A Stock character is a fictional character based on a common literary or social stereotype. Stock characters rely heavily on cultural types or names for their personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. In their most general form, stock characters are related to literary archetypes,...
who was a physician, especially when played as a comic
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
figure. Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
used "Oppodeldoc" as a pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
for a character in the short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"The Literary Life of Thingum Bob, Esq." Steer's Opodeldoc was a patent medicine
Patent medicine
Patent medicine refers to medical compounds of questionable effectiveness sold under a variety of names and labels. The term "patent medicine" is somewhat of a misnomer because, in most cases, although many of the products were trademarked, they were never patented...
that was widely promoted during Poe's life. As late as the early 1990s 'Epideldoc'(sic) was made up on demand by several pharmacists in the Northwest of England.