Now arch. or Hist. [ad. L. suffūmigātio, -ōnem, n. of action f. suffūmigāre to SUFFUMIGATE. Cf. OF. subfumigation, F. suffumigation.] The action of suffumigating or fumigating from below; an instance of this; chiefly concr. (usually pl.): fumes or vapors generated by burning herbs, incense, etc.; also occas., a substance used for this purpose.
a. Med. used to produce a therapeutic effect by penetration of the body.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., lxiii. 239. Aftyr that man sholde vse suffumygacionys of herbis.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 74. Afterward be þer done suffumigacion or fomentacion.
1540. R. Jonas, Byrth Mankynde, 26. Yf this profet nothynge, then vse this suffumigation. Take myrrhe, galbanum, castorium [etc.].
1599. A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 65/1. Let the suffumigatione therof ascende to thy Eares.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. Expl. Wds. Art, Suffumigation, is the smoke that is received into the body from under a stoole, for the diseases of the guts, fundament, or matrice.
1604. Jas. I., Counterbl. to Tobacco (Arb.), 100. The stinking Suffumigation whereof [sc. of tobacco] they yet vse against that disease.
1635. Brathwait, Arcadian Princ., 235. I meane by sweatings and suffumigations to extract all those viscid and oily humours.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIV. 494. A Phthisical Person [cured] … by a Suffumigation of Amber.
1769. E. Bancroft, Guiana, 87. The Indians … often use it by way of suffumigation, for rheums, head-achs etc.
1835. Browning, Paracelsus, III. 442. Such a suffumigation as, once fired, Had stunk the patient dead ere he could groan.
b. used in incantations, in the offering of sacrifices, and in witchcraft to excite evil spirits.
[1390, 14[?]. see SUBFUMIGATION.]
1565. Jewel, Repl. Harding (1611), 427. The Sacrifices, that in Old times were made into Fides, and Terminus,… consisted only in Suffumigations, and Odors.
1567. Fenton, Trag. Disc., iii. (1898), 153. Diverse suffumigacions incident to witchecrafte.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 9. To these were … giuen diuine worship and ceremonies with suffumigations, crownes of flowers, and other rites.
1646. J. Gregory, Notes & Observ. (1650), 97. They observed such a place of the Moone, made such a suffumigation, uttered such and such words at the graffing of one Tree upon another.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 222. A suffumigation made with the congealed blood of an Asse, and the fat of a wolfe, and Storax.
1696. Aubrey, Misc. (1721), 172. Evil Spirits are pleased and allured and called up by Suffumigations of Henbane &c. stinking Smells, &c.
1830. Scott, Demonol., i. 46. The nostrils are made to inhale such suffumigation, as well as the mouth.
1856. R. A. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), II. VIII. iii. 179, note. The sympathetic influence … of stones and metals, ointments and suffumigations.
† c. gen. A fume, vapor. Obs.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 72. Suffumigation of Brimstone.
a. 1612. Harington, De Valet. Conserv. (1624), 43. Your parlors or Chambers being first purged and ayred with suffumigations.
1614. T. Adams, Diuells Banket, III. 109. As the suffumigations of the oppressed stomach, surge vp and cause the head-ach.
1651. H. More, Enthus. Tri. (1712), 5. A little reek or suffumigation.
Hence † Suffumigatious a., used for suffumigation.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. vi. 119/3. Suffumigatious Gums, or such as are for Perfumes.
