LOVE, in Medicine. The symptoms produced by this passion as a disease, according to medical writers, are as follow: The eyelids often twinkle; the eyes are hollow, and yet appear as if full with pleasure: the pulse is not peculiar to the passion, but the same with that which attends solicitude and care. When the object of this affection is thought of, particularly if the idea is sudden, the spirits are confused, the pulse changes, and its force and time are very variable: in some instances, the person is sad and watchful; in others, the person, not being conscious of his state, pines away, is slothful, and regardless of food; though the wiser, when they find themselves in love, seek pleasant company and active entertainments. As the force of love prevails, sighs grow deeper; a tremor affects the heart and pulse; the countenance is alternately pale and red; the voice is suppressed in the fauces; the eyes grow dim; cold sweats break out; sleep absents itself, at least until the morning; the secretions
become disturbed; and a loss of appetite, a hectic fever, melancholy, or perhaps madness, if not death, constitutes the sad catastrophe. On this subject the curious may consult Ægineta, lib. iii. cap. 17. Oribat. Synop. lib. viii. cap. 9. or a treatise professedly written on love, as it is a distemper, by James Ferrard, Oxford, printed 1640.
The manners of the Greeks and Romans were similar to each other in the affairs of love. They generally made a discovery of their passion by writing upon trees, walls, doors, &c. the name of their beloved. They usually decked the door of their dulcinea with flowers and garlands, made libations of wine before their houses, sprinkling the posts with the same liquor, as if the object of their affection was a real goddess. For a man's garland to be untied, and for a woman to compose a garland, were held to be indubitable indications of their love.
When their love was without success, they used several arts to excite affection in the object of their desire. They had recourse to enchantresses, of whom the Thessalian were in the highest estimation. The means made use of were most commonly philtres or love potions, the operation of which was violent and dangerous, and frequently deprived such as drank them of their reason. Some of the most remarkable ingredients of which they were composed were, the hippomanes, the jynx, insects bred from putrefaction, the fish remora, the lizard, brains of a calf, the hairs on the tip of a wolf's tail, his secret parts, the bones of the left side of a toad eaten with ants, the blood of doves, bones of snakes, feathers of screech-owls, twisted cords of wool in which a person had hanged himself, rags, torches, reliques, a nest of swallows buried and famished in the earth, bones snatched from hungry bitches, the marrow of a boy famished in the midst of plenty, dried human liver; to these may be added several herbs growing out of putrid substances. Such were the ingredients that entered into the composition of that infernal draught a love potion.
But, besides the philtres, various other arts were used to excite love, in which the application of certain substances was to have a magical influence on the person against whom they levelled their skill. A hyena's udder worn under the left arm, they fancied would draw the affections of whatever woman they fixed their eyes upon. That species of olives called πύργα, and barley-bran made up into a paste, and thrown into the fire, they thought would excite the flame of love. Flour was used with the same intention. Burning laurel, and melted wax, were supposed to have the like effect. When one heart was to be hardened, and another mollified, clay and wax were exposed to the same fire together. Images of wax were frequently used, representing the persons on whom they wished to make an impression; and whatever was done to the substitute of wax, they imagined was felt by the person represented. Enchanted medicaments were often sprinkled on some part of the house where the person resided. Love-pledges were supposed to be of singular use and efficacy; these they placed under their threshold, to preserve the affections of the owner from wandering. Love-knots were of singular power, and the number three was particularly observed in all they did. But no good effect was expected, if the use of these things
was not attended with charms or magical verses and forms of words. See MAGIC.
Having mentioned their arts of exciting love, it may not be amiss to take notice, that the ancients imagined, that love excited by magic may be allayed by more powerful spells and medicaments, or by applying to demons more powerful than those who had been concerned in raising that passion. But love inspired without magic had no cure; Apollo himself could find no remedy, but cried out
Hei mihi quod nullis amor est medicabilis herbis.
The antidotes against love were generally agnus castus, which has the power of weakening the generative faculty; sprinkling the dust in which a mule had rolled herself; tying toads in the hide of a beast newly slain; applying amulets of minerals or herbs, which were supposed of great efficacy in other cases; and invoking the assistance of the inferior deities. Another cure for love was bathing in the waters of the river Selenus; to which we may add the lover's leap, or jumping down from the Leucadian promontory.
Love-Apple. See SOLANUM, BOTANY INDEX.