English (United Kingdom) 
Polski (PL) 
In Praise of the Imperial Pills, 1498
Original: University Library, Uppsala, sign. Copernicana 14: Petrus de Argellata, Chirurgia, Venetiis 1499. Matthaeus Silvaticus, Liber Pandectarum medicinae. Quaestiones aliorum auctorum, Venetiis, Bonetus Locatellus pro Octaviano Scoto, 1498.
The prescription, handwritten by Copernicus on a page from his personal book, is the most elaborate description of a medicine called "imperial pills," which was otherwise unknown. The descriptive part of the prescription lists the ailments for which the medicine is effective and the dosage instructions. From the text, it appears that it was a powerful, general tonic. The second part lists 19 ingredients of the medicine and the method for preparing the pills. All of the ingredients are of plant origin and were imported from the East.
Further reading:
- Kopernik Mikołaj, Pisma pomniejsze, Warszawa 2007.
Arnold of Villanova's imperial pills, which can always be taken by anyone, whether sick or healthy, without prior diet or restraint, morning and evening, before or after a meal, without prior ingestion of syrup. They bring health to any weakened body and wherever disease occurs without injury, when an excess of humors has been discovered, they strengthen both the main and weak parts, stimulate joy, slow down graying of hair, which is a result of toxic humors. They soothe all spreading and corrosive salty humors, above all taking care of the virtue of the eyes. They preserve and prepare the stomach, allay catarrh, soothe cough, eliminate angina and other throat ailments (etc.), and problems with the mouth, draw vapors from the stomach. They repel spots before the eyes, enhance the intellect, strengthen the nerves, and give them vigor, protect the teeth from decay. They strengthen against epidemics, scabies, arthritis, and gout, ensure sleep, protect the sleeping body from falling into illness, extract both bile and phlegm, and gently cleanse. Finally, whoever wants to cleanse themselves with these pills, take one on the first day, two on the second, three on the third, etc., up to the seventh day, or until you notice improvement. This mixture has the following ingredients. Take one drachma each of aminca, anise, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, zedoary, mastic, nutmeg, cloves, saffron, cubebs, aloeswood, good spikenard, manna, fungus, and senna, five grains of myrobalan plum, and as much rhubarb as all the previous items weigh, and as much aloes as everything mentioned. Combine everything with violet or rose syrup and secure it as one mass and make pills in the shape of a chickpea or pea as desired.
Pillule imperiales Arnoldj de Villa Noua1, que possunt accipi omni tempore sine preparatione precedenti dieta vel custodia, mane et sero, ante cibum vel post, absque syrupo per quemcumque hominem sanum vel infirmum. Valent in omni materia digerenda et quacumque egritudine educentes sine lesione quicquid superfluum inveniunt et confortant membra principalia et debilia, leticiam adducentes, retardant canos [capillos] qui ex corruptis humoribus prodeunt. Consolidant quidquid dilaceratum est mordicatiuis salsis humoribus, virtutern visiuam supra omnia procurant. Stomachum preponunt et conseruant, catarrum compescunt, tussim sedant, anginas et omnia faucium [et cet.] et oris vicia tollunt, fumositatem stomachi educunt. Scotomiam repellunt, intellectum augent, neruos roborant et vegetant, dentes a putredine custodiunt. Valent contra epidimiam, contra scabiem, arteticam et podagram, dormire faciunt, corpora lapsa ne egritudines incidant preseruant, utramque coleram cum flecmate trahunt2, leuiter purgant. Qui demum vult purgari per has pillulas, sumat prima die unam, secunda duas, tercia die tres, etc. usque ad septem, vel quantum recipientj videbitur expedire. Quarum compositio ita se habet: Recipe amomi3, anisi4, cardamomi5, zinziberi6, cinnamom7, zoduari8, mastici9, nucis muscate10, gariofili11, croci12, cubebe13, ligni aloes14, turbith boni15, manne16, agarici17, sene18 ana drachmam j, quinque granorum mirobalanorum19, reubarbarum20 ad pondus omnium predictorum, aloes21 succum ad pondus totius supradicti; omnia conficiantur cum sirupo violarum22 vel rose23 et conseruentur in massa una et cum uti volueris fac pillulas ad formam ciceris24 vel grani pisi25.
Further reading:
- Mikołaj Kopernik, Pisma pomniejsze, Warszawa 2007.
1 Arnoldus de Villa Nova (approx. 1234-1250 – 1311) was a physician, alchemist, astrologer, diplomat, and translator from Arabic into Latin, one of the most interesting figures of medieval science. He authored over 120 works, including more than 45 medical texts (G. Sarton, Introduction to the history of science, Washington 1927-1935, vol. 2, pp. 893-900). His most well-known medical treatise is the Breviarium practicae medicinae, a copy of which was owned by Copernicus. Despite the efforts of subsequent publishers, it has not been possible to establish from which of Arnoldus de Villa Nova's works Copernicus drew the recipe for the "Imperial Pills".
2 This refers to both black bile and yellow bile.
3 Likely Ammi majus L. - Greater Ammi or Sison ammi L. - White Cumin. The fruit of the plant was used as a medicinal remedy, mainly for heart-related issues.
4 Pimpinella anisum L. – anise. Mature fruits have been commonly used since ancient times as a diuretic, lactagogue, antispasmodic, and digestive aid.
5 Elettaria cardamomum L. Maton and Elettaria cardamomum L. Maton var. major Thwaites - cardamom. Two types of this Asian plant were distinguished based on the size of the fruits: Cardamomum maius and Cardamomum minus. The fruits were used in the treatment of convulsions and epilepsy, scorpion bites, stomach and kidney diseases, and as a laxative.
6 Zingiber officinale Rosc - medicinal ginger, a plant originating from India. The raw material used was the rhizomes, which were used in digestive disorders and as a strengthening agent.
7 Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees (Cinnamomum cassia [L.] Blume) and Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume – cinnamon. The first plant comes from China and has been known since ancient times, while the second, also known as Canella in the Middle Ages, comes from Ceylon and was brought to Europe by Arabs in the 14th century. The medicinal part of the plant was primarily the bark, although sometimes the leaves were also used. The bark was attributed with diuretic and menstruation-inducing properties and was used for internal infections and kidney pain, as well as an antidote to poisonous bites. Since the time of Dioscorides, cinnamon was often described together with another plant, Cassia fistula L., which caused many repeated mistakes and misunderstandings in the descriptions of these plants.
8 Curcuma zedoaria Roxb. or Zingiber zerumbet (L.) Roscoe ex Smith - zedoary or bitter ginger, originated from Asia and was first used by Arabs. The highly valued medicinal part of the plant was the rhizome. It was used as a cholagogue, in women's diseases, and as an antiseptic.
9 Mastic, also known as mastiche or lentisc resin, is a fragrant resin obtained from the shrub Pistacia lentiscus L. It was used to stop bleeding and as a strengthening agent. It was a component of many ointments.
10 Additionally, nutmeg was also used as a remedy for digestive disorders, as a pain reliever, and as a treatment for insomnia.
11 Syzygium aromaticum, also known as clove, is a plant whose unopened flower buds have a very strong scent. They were used as an emetic, often combined with cinnamon, ginger, and licorice, as well as a remedy to strengthen the stomach, liver, and heart.
12 Crocus sativus L. - saffron, crocus. The stigmas of these flowers were one of the most valuable medicines. Until the 16th century, it was believed in Europe that the intensely yellow powder was ground root. The medicine had a wide range of uses: for diseases of the lungs, liver, and urinary bladder, as an analgesic and strengthening agent.
13 Piper cubeba L. - cubeb pepper. The medieval name Cubeba, Cibeba, comes from Arabic. It is one of the species of pepper.
14 Lignum aloes, also known in the Middle Ages as Agallochum and Xyloalo (Aguilaria agallocha Roxb. or Aguilaria malaccensis Lam.), is a tree originating from India. It was supposedly harvested from rivers. The medicine was used, among other things, as a strengthening agent, relieving liver pain and obstructions, and as a diuretic. It is sometimes confused, due to the similarity in name, with aloe. Previous publishers of this recipe incorrectly interpreted lignum aloes as liguor aloes.
15 Turbith, or turpetum, is likely to be Aster tripolium L. or Thapsia garganica L. The medicine was made from the root, used against fever, especially in combination with ginger, and as a laxative. The root retained its medicinal properties and light color only when dried in the sun, hence the addition of "good".
16 Manna - these are hardened, sweet, pink droplets of sap from certain species of trees and shrubs that have been punctured by insects or incised, mainly from the manna ash tree (Fraxinus ornus) in Poland, but also from many other species. The most famous type of manna was the hardened sap on the branches of the tamarisk. It consists mainly of sugars and alcohols.
17 Polyporus officinalis Fr. (formerly Boletus laricis Pers., Boletus purgans Gmel.) is known as the agarikon or larch agaric. It is used primarily as a laxative.
18 Senna is an Indian senna, a strong laxative obtained from the leaves of the Cassia acutifolia Delile and Cassia obovata Collad plants.
19 Myrobalana, also known as myrabolana, refers to fruit similar to plums from trees in the genus Terminalia L. and Phyllanthus L. that grow in India and Sri Lanka. There are five known species of myrobalan: Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica, Emblica officinalis, Terminalia citrina, and Terminalia nigra. Despite differences in appearance and some properties, all of these species were primarily used as a strong laxative.
20 Centaurea rhaponticum L. (Rhaponticum scariosum La) or Rheum palmatum Moench - rhubarb. The species of rhubarb were not distinguished. The most valuable in terms of medicinal properties came from China, while other species were cultivated in Europe. Rhubarb roots were known and highly valued since ancient times. They were used as a laxative, appetite stimulant, strengthener, slightly cholagogue and diuretic.
21 Aloe spp., possibly Aloe succotrina Lam. – aloe, black Helena. Since ancient times, aloe leaf juice has been one of the most popular remedies. It has been extensively described, most notably by Johannes Mesue. Three types of aloe were known: the yellow Aloe succotrina, the most highly valued, followed by the liver-colored Aloe epatica, and the least valued black and bitter Aloe caballina. The remedy was used in combination with milk and honey for kidney and urinary tract disorders, as a cholagogue, and for many other ailments.
22 Viola odorata L. – sweet violet. Syrup and tea made from the flowers of the sweet violet were used as a mildly laxative, sedative, and headache reliever, as well as for treating pneumonia, especially in young children, and many other ailments. Violet syrup was used to add a pleasant taste and aroma to medicines.
23 Rosa L. – rose. The dark red petals of the rose were most highly valued, which we now identify as Rosa centifolia L., but petals of other species of roses with white, pink, and red flowers were also collected, including Rosa gallica L.
24 Cicer arietinum L. - Chickpea or garbanzo bean, is a legume crop from the Fabaceae family, commonly cultivated in the Mediterranean region as a forage plant.
25 Pisum sativum L. - common pea; both of these plants were commonly known and grew abundantly in the Mediterranean Europe and Southwest Asia. Due to the similarity in the shape and size of their slightly flattened or round seeds, Copernicus as well as many other authors recommended forming pills from them.
