Collyrium (Noun)
Meaning
Lotion consisting of a solution used as a cleanser for the eyes.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- An eye rinse can be administered, often in the form of a collyrium, to flush out all visible foreign bodies from the eye.
- Historically, antimony sulfide has been used in eye drops with onion juice and the resulting concoction was termed a collyrium by the Greeks.
- To ensure its continued use as an eye cleanser, a recipe was given in the Hippocratic collection to create a collyrium, which called for the crystallization and careful application of cadmia.
- Green vitriol was crushed into fine small grains, dissolved with water in a calabash, which the ancient doctors used as collyrium to all foreign matter in a diseased human eye, the water clears it.
- The medicated product kohl consisted of galena powder mixed with a special very sticky paste called collyrium used to aid the prevention or the treatment of various eye diseases including ophthalmia.