Stavesacre

Forms: 4 scafisage, 5 staphisagrie, 5–6 -agre, (5 stafi-sagre, scapysagre, 6 stafesagre, stavysagre, -acre, stavis akre), 6–8 stavesaker, (7 stav-aker, stassaker, stavis-acra), 6–7, 9 staphisacre, 7–8 -ager, 8 stave-acre, (staves-ager), 6– stavesacre. [ad. L. staphisagria, a. Gr. σταφὶς ἀγρία lit. wild raisin (σταφίς raisin, ἀγρία fem. of ἄγριος wild).] A plant of the species Delphinium Staphisagria (N.O. Ranunculaceæ), native in southern Europe and Asia Minor; the seeds of this plant, used to destroy vermin, and formerly as an emetic.

a. 1400.  Stockholm Med. MS., 156. Scafisage scafisagia.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 184. Herof we moun do þerto sal gemme, sulphuris, euforbij ana ʓ.ij. staphisagrie, cantaridarum ana ʓj.

14[?].  Bk. Hawking (MS. Harl. 2340), in Rel. Ant. (1841), I. 297. Take a greyn of staphisagre, and put under her [a hawk’s] tong, and she shall caste. Ibid., 300. Take scapysagre, and sethe it in water.

c. 1440.  Pallad. on Husb., I. 596. As staphisagre, minget in theire mete Wol hele her tong.

1460–70.  Bk. Quintessence, II. 20. Medle it wiþ a good quantite of poudre of stafi-sagre.

1538.  Turner, Libellus, Staphis agria Stauesacre.

1547.  Boorde, Brev. Health (1870), 87. Take … of Stauysacre made in fyne pouder, halfe an vnce.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, III. xxxix. 372. Staphisacre, especially the seede, is hoate almost in the fourth degree.

1599.  Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, Ep. Ded. A 2 b. Looke how much Tobacco wee carry with vs to expell cold, the like quantitie of Staues-aker wee must prouide vs of to kill lice in that rugged countrey of rebels.

1611–2.  Shuttleworths’ Acc. (Chetham Soc.), 198. For stassaker to John Leighe, ij^d.

1630.  J. Taylor (Water P.), Taylor’s Goose, 85, Wks. I. 105/1. Mix’d with Stauesacre, and Argentum viue, It will not leaue a man a Lowse aliue.

1682.  Wheler, Journ. Greece, IV. 290. Staphys agria, or Staves-acre.

1731.  Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Delphinium, Larkspur with a Plane-Tree Leaf, commonly call’d Stavesacre, or Lousewort.

1736.  Bailey, Houshold Dict., 330. Pound burnt cummin and staphisager of each equal quantities and mix it with wine.

1757.  Dyer, Fleece, I. 288. Th’ infectious scab … is by water cur’d Of lime, or sodden staveacre.

1822–9.  Good’s Study Med. (ed. 3), V. 660. The most fatal poisons to all these vermin are the mercurial oxydes, staphisacre, [etc.].

1838.  T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 246. A pound of stavesacre furnishes from 55 to 60 grains of delphina.

1876.  J. Harley, Royle’s Mat. Med. (ed. 6), 769. Stavesacre is a native of the South of Europe, and of the Mediterranean islands.

  attrib.  1683.  Holme, Armoury, II. 90/1. He beareth Argent, a Stavesacre slip.

1837.  Penny Cycl., VIII. 375/1. Stavesacre seeds are not now used internally.

1899.  Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 866. For infants … stavesacre or weak balsam of Peru ointment may be substituted for the sulphur.