Moschus.

Musk, Moschus moschiferus, was described by Aëtius (6), who lived about the middle of the sixth century A. D. Benjamin de Tudela (55a), who traveled through the East about 1160-1173 A.D., also mentions musk, stating that its native home is in Thibet. Its sale in Egypt was mentioned by Leo Africanus (378b), 1526. Its introduction to medicine, however, came at a much earlier period, its employment in that direction following the commendation of Aëtius (6). Its therapeutic use was due to its introduction from the Arabians. Tavernier (1676), asserted (627) by Eugene Rimmel (552) to be the first European traveler to mention this drug, reports that he bought 7,673 pods of the musk-deer, indicating its abundance at that date. The use of musk as a perfume antedates European record, whilst its introduction as a stimulant has no record of its origin. This writer learned during his services in prescription pharmacies that when tincture of musk was prescribed, the patient was expected to die.

The History of the Vegetable Drugs of the U.S.P., 1911, was written by John Uri Lloyd.