4a. CEPHALIC

Materia Medica in Arabic & Persian, Shirazy, 1793

Cephalics are medicines appropriated to the Head. They strengthen and benefit the Brain and senses.

Aphorisms on Cephalics, collected by Culpeper, (Composita, 1656):

• Such medicaments as are accommodated to diseases of the Brain, are properly called Cephalics
• Of Cephalics, some are hot, some cold, whereby they remedy the affects of the Brain by a manifest way.
• For the Brain, seeing it is the seat of Reason, the rise of the Sense, the original of the Nerves, is by its own nature temperate.
• Therefore it is sooner afflicted than any other part of the body, for if it be but a little too hot, Sense and Reason is suddenly and inordinately moved; if but a little too cold, they languish and are stupefied.
• Therefore because the Brain is usually offended with Phlegm, therefore those things may be accounted Cephalics, which (beside a hidden faculty whereby they strengthen the brain), warm, cleanse, cut and dry.
• Besides, if you consider the situation of the Brain, viz. in superior part of all the body, you may conceive it very apt to receive hot vapors [Wind]. These afflict men with Watchings [Insomnia] and Headache, these must be strained by cooling Cephalics.
• If the Brain be afflicted, it cannot be strengthened, except if it be purged [cleansed].
• If it be purged, it must be purged with Cephalics.
• Neither can it be purged with Cephalics, before the whole body be evacuated; for otherwise it will soon be filled with vapors.

Warming Cephalics

Warming Cephalic Compounds

Cooling Cephalics

Cooling Cephalic Compounds