Sull'etimologia del 'castor oil' degli inglesi, olio di ricino nostro : lettura fatta alla R. Accademia di Scienze Lettere ed Arti in Padova nella tornata del giorno 19 febbraio 1882 / dal socio corrispondente Gualterio Lorigiola.

  • Lorigiola, Gualtiero.
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sull'etimologia del 'castor oil' degli inglesi, olio di ricino nostro : lettura fatta alla R. Accademia di Scienze Lettere ed Arti in Padova nella tornata del giorno 19 febbraio 1882 / dal socio corrispondente Gualterio Lorigiola. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    it owes origin to the word « Gastus » or Agnus castus. His name would indicate a religious em- blem — now the Castor oil plani is also called Palma Christi. This name refers to the lohes of the leaf representing the 5 fingers of Christ. It is quite possihle that this Palma Christi may he as the root of Agnus castus as I am not aware of any portion of the plant to which a religious name is applied since that of the leaf Palma-Cristi. Iwill add a quotation from Hanbitry's Phar- macopoeia « The word Castor in connection with the seeds and oil of Ricinus has come to US from Jamaica, in which Island hy some strange mistake the plant was once called Agnus castus. The true Agnus castus (Vitex Agnus castus) is native of the Mediteranean countries and not of the West Indies. » Although the ahove quated view and that of M.r Hanbury I state cannot helieve other than that the Castor oil plant derive its nam-e from a semi religious source. I hars the honour remaiu in faithfuUy your THOMAS GREENISH. To 0.' Walter Lorigiola M. 0.