theriac

Etymology

From Medieval Latin theriacum, from Ancient Greek θηριακὸν (thēriakòn) and Late Latin theriaca, from Ancient Greek θηριακὴ (thēriakḕ, “of or related to poisonous reptiles”), from θηρίον (thēríon, “little beast”) + -κός (-kós), from θήρ (thḗr, “beast”) + -ίον (-íon, “forming diminutives”). Doublet of theriaca.

noun

1. (historical medicine) A universal antidote against all poisons, particularly medicines considered to derive from a recipe of the Roman physician Andromachus and representing an improvement on mithridate.
   This excellent triacle Methridatum is nexte in qualitye and virtue to Theriaca... but onely Theriaca is a little hotter and stronger againste venyme of Snakes. 1558, William Bullein, The Government of Health, fol. 120
   Theriaca Andromachi, the Venice or Mithridate treacle... Theriaca communis, common treacle, or molasses... 1811, John Quincy et al., Quincy's Lexicon-Medicum..., s.v
   From then on galene became the theriac par excellence, known simply as theriac, and there never was a more successful drug[…] Those who could afford it gulped down a bean-sized lump of theriac for practically everything from the Black Death to nothing at all, as a preventive. 1975, Guido Majno, The Healing Hand, Harvard University Press, page 415
   Theriac was essentially homeopathic in its supposed function, being an improvement on mithridate by virtue of containing more poisons.
2. (figurative) hyponym of panacea.
3. (medicine, archaic) Synonym of antidote, particularly (pseudoscience) those incorporating snakemeat to cure snakebite.
   ...ane half vnce of guid auld theriac... 1568, Gilbert Skeyne, Ane Breue Descriptioun of the Pest, Ch. 7
   ...the great number of Vipers, brought to the Grand Duke of Toscany for the composing of Theriac or Treacle... 1666, Philosophical Transactions, volume I, page 160
   ...in the herbal (Kra:uterbuch) of German physician Adam Lonicer... In his final edition, published in 1587 (the year after his death), Lonicer added an entry on bezoar, "a stone against all poison," which he highlighted as "more powerful than any other poison antidote or theriac." 2021, Alisha Rankin, The Poison Trials, page 179
4. (obsolete) Synonym of molasses.

adj

1. (medicine) Synonym of theriacal: of or related to theriac.
2. (medicine, obsolete) Synonym of medicinal.