View source for Oxymel

{{Short description|Mixture of honey and vinegar, used as a medicine}}
{{wiktionary|oxymel|ὀξύς|μέλι}}

'''Oxymel''' ({{ety|la||acid and honey}}, {{ety|grc|ὀξύς|acid||μέλι|honey}}) is a mixture of [[honey]] and [[vinegar]], used as a medicine. According to Scientific American, recently the mixture has been used successfully in a [[biofilm]] for topical uses on wounds where bacteria has become resistant to antibiotics, both ingredients having been used historicaly as antiseptics, but the combination was reported as killing as much as 1,000 times more bacteria than vinegar alone and as much as 100,000 times more than honey alone in biofilms.<ref>Gawrylewski, Andrea, Scientific American Newsletter, October 11, 2023</ref>

Its name is often found in Renaissance (and later) [[pharmacopoeia]]e in [[Late Latin]] form as either a [[countable noun|countable]] or [[uncountable noun]]. As a countable noun, it is spelled variously as (singular) '''oxymellus'''{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} and '''oxymellis''',<ref>{{cite book
| chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UIREAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA197|title=Operum omnium medico-phisicorum|language=la|volume=1|first=Michael|last=Ettmüller|page=197|chapter=De Febribus|accessdate=16 November 2015|publisher=Thomas Amaulry|year=1690}}</ref> and
plural '''oxymeli'''<ref>{{cite book|title=Epitome Galeni operum, in quatuor partes digesta, pulcherrima methodo|language=la|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_7QYCAricSLMC|quote=Oxymelli.|author=Claudius Galenus|editor=Laguna, Andrés|publisher=John Caffin & Francis Plaignard|year=1643|accessdate=16 November 2015|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_7QYCAricSLMC/page/n143 116]|trans-title=Galenus' works condensed, in four digests, the best methods|author-link=Claudius Galenus}}</ref> and '''oxymelli'''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iYQCAAAAQAAJ&q=Oxymelli&pg=PA271|author=Pliny the Younger|title=Naturalis historiae|language=la|volume=xxxvii|page=271|accessdate=16 November 2015|date=1853|author-link=Pliny the Younger}}</ref><ref name="cato"/>

== Etymology and recipe ==

[[Cato the Elder]] describes it thus:
{{blockquote|
{{lang|la|'''Oxymelli'''. Fit vinum ex aceto & melle quod oxymel vocaverunt voce Graecanica. Nam {{lang|grc|oξ}}(?) dicitur Graecis ''acetu'' & {{lang|grc|μίλ}} ''mel''. Fit autem oxymel hoc modo. Mellis decem librae cum aceti heminis quinque, haec decies subserve faciunt atque ita sinunt inveterare. [[Themison of Laodicea|Themison]] summus autor damnavit oxymel & hydromel. Est autem hydromel vinum ex aquae & melle confectum, unde & nome. Celebrant autores ex omphacomel, quod fit ex uvae semiacerbae succo & melle fortiter trite unde & nome: Graec enim {{lang|grc|όμφας}} dicitur uvae acerbae, & {{lang|grc|όμφαφκας}} vocant uvas & fructus immaturus. Hinc omphalicium oleum dictum, quod ex olivis acerbis quas {{lang|grc|δίγρας}}(?) vocant, fit: & omphacium ex uva, quod vulgo agreste nominitant.|italic=unset}}
| [[Cato the Elder|Cato]], reproduced by [[Columella]]
| ''[[De Re Rustica (Columella)|De Re Rustica]]''<ref name="cato">{{cite book
| author=Columella
| authorlink=Columella
| volume=Ii. 17 <!-- |title=''in [[De Re Rustica (Columella)|De Re Rustica]]'' -->
| title=De Re Rustica <!-- I: M. Catonis Liber I., M. Terentij Varronis Lib. III., Palladij Lib. XIIII., L. Iunij Moderati Columellae Lib. XIII. Priscarvm uocum in libris de re rustica enarrationes, per Georgium Alexandrinum. Philippi Beroal. in lib. XIII Columellae annotationes. Aldus de dierum generibus, simul'q[ue] de umbris & horis, quae apud Palladium: Cvm indice copiosissimo eo'q[ue] nouo -->
| date=1536
| accessdate=16 November 2015
| page=ca. 95, 780
| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yKdeAAAAcAAJ&dq=Oxymellin&pg=PA780
}}</ref>
}}

: A wine made from vinegar and honey, which in Greece was called ''oxymel'', ({{ety|grc|oξύ|{{lang|la|acetu}} || μίλ|{{lang|la|mel}}}}, hence [Latin] "oxymel"). It is made thus. Ten libras<ref>One Roman pound libra = 328.9 g  See:  [[Ancient Roman units of measurement#Weight|Ancient Roman units of measurement]]</ref> of honey with five heminas<ref>One hemina = 273 ml  See:  [[Ancient Roman units of measurement#Volume|Ancient Roman units of measurement]]</ref> of vinegar, which will be subsumed. [[Themison of Laodicea|Themison]] confused oxymel and [[hydromel]]. But hydromel wine is made from ''water'' and honey, hence the name. Its name recalls the creation of [[omphacomel]], which is made from semi-dry [i.e. sharp] grapes and sweet honey, hence the name, {{ety|grc|όμφας|{{lang|la|uvae acerbae}}, Sour grapes || όμφαφκας|{{lang|la|fructus immaturus}}, unripe fruit}}. Hence what is called {{lang|la|omphalicium oleum}} ["[[omphalic oil]]"], from sour olives which in Greek is called {{lang|grc|δίγρας}}(?), and omphacium from grapes, commonly called [[Malbec|agreste]].

== Use ==

In the 1593 work ''Enchiridion chirurgicum'', oxymel was recommended as part of a treatment for [[ophthalmia]].<ref>{{cite book
| quote={{lang|la|Cum Ophthalmia oritur a materia frigida: victus ratio praescribeda juxta humoris naturam, revulsiones, tum venae sectione, tum cucurbitulis, alisque modis faciendae: humor praeparandus syrupis capill.vc. acetosi simpl.de. biyantiis de duablo & quinque rad. melle rof. syrupo de hysopo, de staech & '''oxymel'''. sin.pl.& syllitico cum aquis foenic. euphrafie, hyssopi, betonic & alris}} [...]
| url=https://archive.org/details/enchiridionchir01chaugoog
| title=Enchiridion chirurgicum
| publisher=Meiet
| language=la
| page=[https://archive.org/details/enchiridionchir01chaugoog/page/n144 64]
| date=1593
| author=Antoine Chaumette
| accessdate=16 November 2015
}}
</ref>

Because Latin was (and is) still used widely in [[medical prescription]]s, it was still known by this name in Victorian times:
{{blockquote
| {{center|{{smallcaps|Form. 206. Haustus cum Plumbi Acetate}}}}
{{not a typo|[[℞]]}}: Plumbi Acetatis, gr. j. Solve in Aquae Rosae, ℥j.; et adde '''Oxymellis Simplicis''', ʒj.; Tinct. Opii, ♏︎v.; Tinct. Digitalis, ♏︎x. Fiat Haustus, quartis vel sextis horis sumendus.
| James Copland
| A Dictionary of Practical Medicine (1855)<ref>{{cite book
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SFg5AQAAMAAJ&q=%22oxymellin%22&pg=PR10-IA1
 |title=A Dictionary of Practical Medicine
 |last=Copland|first=James
 |publisher=Harper & Brothers|date=1855
 |accessdate=16 November 2015
 }}</ref>
}}

{{center|{{smallcaps|Formula 206. Drink with [[lead(II) acetate]]}}}}

: Prescription: Lead acetate one [[grain (unit)|grain]]. Dissolve in [[rose water]], one ounce; and add undiluted oxymel, one [[Dram (unit)|drachm]]; tincture of [[opium]], five [[Minim (unit)|minims]]; tincture of [[digitalis]], ten minims. To be taken every four to six hours.

== See also ==
*[[Sekanjabin]]
*[[Switchel]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{portal bar|Food}}

[[Category:Greek drinks]]
[[Category:Honey]]
[[Category:Vinegar]]