scammony
(ˈskæmənɪ)
Forms: 1 scamonie, (-am, Lat. acc.), 3 scamoi(e)ne, 5 scamely, 5–6 scamonie, scammonye, 5–7 scamony, 5 skamonye, 7 -ony, 6–7 scammonie, 6– scammony.
[ad. L. scammōnia, scammōnium (also scammōnea), a. Gr. σκαµµωνία, -ώνιον. Cf. OF. scamonee, escamonie (mod.F. scammonée), Pr., Sp., Pg. escamonea, It. scammonea.]
1. A gum-resin obtained from the tuberus roots of Convolvulus Scammonia (see sense 2) used in medicine as a strong purgative; also, the dried tuberous root from which the drug is prepared.
Also with qualifying word indicating the place of export, esp. in Aleppo scammony, Smyrna scammony.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 272 Nim scamoniam þæt peniᵹ ᵹeweᵹe & ᵹeᵹnid smæle. Ibid., Wyrtdrenc scamonian ᵹeceos þus. c 1205 Lay. 17740 Appas..dude þer to atter þa scamoiene [c 1275 scamoine] hatte. 1436 Libel Eng. Policy in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 173 That wee shulde have no nede to skamonye, Turbit, euforbe [etc.]. c 1475 Non-Cycle Mystery Pl. (E.E.T.S.) 73/506, I haue gyven hyr a drynke made..wyth scamely. 1526 Grete Herball ccccciii. (1529) Cc iij b, Scamony is often contrefayted with mylke of y⊇ herbe of catapucie. 1626 Bacon Sylva §19 You may make it as strong a Purging Medicine, as Scammony. 1875 H. C. Wood Therap. (1879) 470 Scammony acts upon the system like jalap, but is somewhat more irritating. |
| fig. 1678 B. R. Let. Pop. Friends 4 What Protestant Scammony is strong enough to make a thorough-pac'd Catholick Disgorge Infallibility? |
b. (See
quot.)
| 1849 Balfour Man. Bot. §956 A spurious kind of Scammony has been prepared from the root of Convolvulus (Calystegia) sepium; and several plants belonging to the order Asclepiadaceæ yield a purgative exudation which has been used under the names of Montpellier and Bourbon Scammony. |
2. The plant
Convolvulus Scammonia, native in Syria and Asia Minor, having a fleshy root which furnishes the scammony (sense 1) of commerce.
| 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 61 Scammony..hath a leafe like Iuie. 1597 Gerarde Herbal ii. cccv. 716 Of Scammonie, or purging Bindweed. 1785 Martyn Rousseau's Bot. xvi. 191 This genus contains several remarkable plants; as Scammony..and Jalap. |
3. attrib.| 1871 Garrod Mat. Med. (ed. 3) 282 Compound Scammony Powder{ddd}Scammony Mixture. Ibid. 283 Scammony resin also forms an important ingredient in extractum colocynthidis compositum. 1887 Bentley Man. Bot. (ed. 5) 627 This Scammony as also Scammony Root, and Scammony Resin, are official in the British Pharmacopœia. |