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Stag's Heart Bone, Os Cordis Cervi

Deer Heart Bone

Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563

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Zoological name:
Cervus sp.

Parts used:
'Bone' (ossified cartilage) found in a mature Stag's Heart

Temperature & Taste:
Neutral

Classification:
H. Nourish the Heart

Uses:
1. Strengthens the Heart, Calms the Mind and Spirit:
-Palpitations, Arrhythmia, Heart weakness
-mental debility associated with Heart weakness
-Anxiety with Palpitations
-Epilepsy
-Melancholy
-used to protect the Heart in Fevers and Epidemics

2. Clears Heat from the Blood:
-clears excess Heat and Melancholy from the Blood

3. Astringes to Prevent Miscarriage:
-prevents Miscarriage: it ‘keeps up the Birth, and is excellent for women with Child’ (Schroder)
-good in Parturition. (Lexicon of Alchemy)

4. Clears Stomach Heat:
-Stomach pain, Heartburn
-has an antacid effect

DOSE:
Of the Powder: 250–1500mg

SUBSTITUTE:
1. The 'tendon-bone' of a Goats Breast was commonly used by the apothecaries.
2. The bones of the Heart from other quadripeds such as Cows or Goats was also substituted or adulterated.
3. Various authors stated prepared Deer Horn (ashed) could be used for Deer Heart Bone.

PREPARATION:
1. Often levigated with Rose water to give it a pleasant smell.

Main Combinations:
1. Strengthen the Heart and Brain, Deer Heart Bone with Pearl, Burnt Silk, Galangal, Long Pepper, Peony, Cinnamon, Saffron (Wirtzung)
2. Heart weakness with Heat, Deer Heart Bone, Tabasheer, Cinnamon, Armenian Earth, Sandalwood, Aloeswood, Red Coral (as in Cordial Powder)
3. To purify the Heart Blood, for Palpitations, Deer Heart Bone, Gold, Red Coral (Francis Bacon)
4. Epilepsy:
i. Deer Heart Bone with Mistletoe, Amber
ii. Deer Heart Bone, Peony, Red Coral
5. To resist Poison and Infection during Epidemics:
i. Deer Heart Bone (½ dram), Bezoar (5–10 grains)
ii. Deer Heart Bone, Angelica, Zedoary, Tormentil, Red Earth
6. To prevent Miscarriage:
i. Deer Heart Bone, Pearl, Red Coral, Tormentil, Nutmeg
ii. Deer Heart Bone (½ dram), Catechu (14 grains), Nutmeg, Cinnamon (4 grains each). Mix for a dose. (Salmon)

Major Formulas:
Troches for Heart Weakness
Powder of Happiness (Letificans)
Cooling Powder of Gems
Powder for Epilepsy
Abbots Confect of Rose (Diarrhodon Abbatis) (Nicholas)
Confection of Hyacinth (Confectio de Hyacintho)
Marvelous Powder Against Scrofula (Arnold de Villa Nova)
Warming Pearl Powder (some versions)
Cordial Powder (some versions)
Diacameron Magna

Cautions:
None noted

Main Preparations used:
Levigated Powder

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History

From The Grete Herbal, Turner:

  ‘In the Left side of the Heart of this Beast is found a bone wherein is a hollowness ... this bone is tender and has a part of the flesh of the Heart sticking thereto. This bone is of brown color by the blood of the Heart; and it is to wit that there is a tendon bone in a Goats breast which the Apothecaries do in manner as with the bone of a Harts Heart, and sell it instead thereof. But the difference

 is known by that the Goats bone hath no flesh sticking to it, and is not brown of color, but is white and softer.
 
‘The bone of a harts Heart may be kept 3 years good. It hath virtue to cleanse the blood, to purge melancholy humours, and gross black fumes among the blood’.

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Salmon, Seplasium, 1693:

'This is a bone found in the Heart of a Stag, almost resembling a cross, but some more than others, being a little flat bone, made by the concourse of Arteries or Muscles in the Basis of the Heart, which by reason of

age, and heat of the part, grows harder, and turns to a bone; they are plentifully enough to be had, but some say, many of those which are sold, are taken out the Hearts of Oxen'.