a. and sb. Med. [ad. mod.L. epispasticus, a. Gr. ἐπισπαστικός, f. ἐπισπάειν, f. ἐπί towards + σπάειν to draw.]
A. adj. Drawing out humours; blistering.
1657. Phys. Dict., Epispastick, blistering plaisters, or any other strong drawing plaister.
1861. Hulme, trans. Moquin-Tandon, II. III. iii. 133. Vinegar of Cantharides (Epispastic).
B. sb. A blister; a substance used for blisters.
1675. Grew, Anat. Plants (1682), 287. A Blister...; the common Effect of Fire, or any strong Epispastick.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1810), VIII. 253. Thy Epispastics may strip the parchment from thy plotting head.
1830. Lindley, Nat. Syst. Bot., 7. Ranunculus flammula and sceleratus are powerful epispastics.
1876. Bartholow, Mat. Med. (1879), 536. An epispastic is a remedy which excites inflammation and vesication.
