GALEN ON ANTIDOTES

...commonly known original: loumenē, having been composed by the physician Andromachus. This medicine pushed aside the one called the Mithridatium, which was also named after its creator. For this Mithridates, just like Attalus who lived in our time, was eager to have experience with almost all simple medicines used against deadly substances. He tested their powers on wicked men who were condemned to death. He found that some were specifically suitable for venomous spiders original: phalangion. This term refers to various venomous arachnids, often identified as sun spiders or certain types of hunting spiders., some for scorpions, and others for vipers. Among the lethal drugs, some worked against aconite Aconite: A highly toxic plant, also called monkshood, frequently used in antiquity for poisonings., some against the sea-hare Sea-hare: A marine mollusk of the genus Aplysia. In the ancient world, it was believed to be a deadly poison if touched or ingested., and others against various other things. Mithridates mixed all these together and made one medicine. He hoped it would be a help against all deadly things. Later, Andromachus, the chief physician to Nero original: archiatros. This title signifies a court physician or a leader of the medical profession., added some things and took others away. He made the antidote called the theriac. He mixed a large amount of viper flesh into the other ingredients, which the Mithridatium did not have. And because of this...

...are promised, just as the one called theriac, composed by the physician Andromachus. It replaced the one they call Mithridatium. It was named in this way after the man who composed it. For this Mithridates, just as Attalus was among us, studied to have experience with nearly all simple medicines that oppose destructive poisons. He explored their powers on criminal men who had been condemned to death. Therefore, he found some of them were especially suitable against venomous spiders, some against scorpions, and others against vipers. Likewise, against killing poisons, some work against aconite, some against the sea-hare, and others against various other things. Thus, having mixed all these together, Mithridates prepared one medicine. He hoped he would have a protection against all deadly things. Afterward, Andromachus, the primary physician to Nero, added some things and removed others. He prepared the antidote called theriac with a large amount of viper flesh, which...