Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2017 November 8

= November 8 =

Glossary of Islam [The Meaning of Tyriak (theriac?)]
TYRIAK. It was a drug in 15th century Palestine; it's source was the Dead Sea. ( What was it? ) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 49.178.19.79 (talk) 01:25, 8 November 2017 (UTC)
 * I think you mean theriac. Omidinist (talk) 04:50, 8 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia has an article at theriac. -- Jayron 32 11:34, 8 November 2017 (UTC)
 * There also seems to be something called Tyriac (or Tiryac) essential oil with a claimed connection to ancient Egypt. Wymspen (talk) 12:13, 8 November 2017 (UTC)
 * I don't have access to the whole book, but here is a passing mention of the 15-century Palestinian version of theriac. הסרפד  (call me Hasirpad) 20:25, 8 November 2017 (UTC)


 * For context, bear in mind that theriac started in ancient times as a mithridate or other drugs, and flowered with one of Galen's more fevered writings  and remained in the imagination a long time.  That said, somewhere around Andromachus it apparently (from the first link) acquired increasing amounts of opium, which of course makes it good for what ails you.  And in many times and places since it has been diminished per practicality -- if one indeed believes that anyone, even in Galen's time, really made it up by the full formula.  Still, it is not entirely out of the question, especially where the rich were concerned, since the essential idea was that if a pharmacist might have a good herb on his shelf, simply mix them all and have the patient take it and maybe one will help; indeed, if those herbs truly are all of medicine, one believes one will help.  In theory.  The reductio ad absurdum is treacle, which is indeed the humble modern descendant of this ancient panacea. Wnt (talk) 00:24, 9 November 2017 (UTC)