# Diamoschu, sweet

**Diamoscho dolce**

**Known today as.** A cordial powder of musk with saffron, aloeswood, coral, pearls, and spices.

Kind: Compound

## What did Canale use it for?

In a powder and in morsels (ch. 6).

## What does modern science say?

Aromatic. Its pearls and coral are calcium carbonate, an antacid; the rest is perfume and spice.

## Pharmacognosy and toxicology

- **muscone**: the musk
- **amber**: white amber
- **pearl and coral**: calcium carbonate
- **saffron, cloves, nutmeg, galangal**: the aromatics
- **sugar**: 

**Mechanism.** Mesue’s sweet electuary of musk, later made up with sugar: an aromatic sweet with pearls and coral that are calcium carbonate, an antacid. Nutmeg taken in small amounts as a spice has no noticeable effect; in large doses it can bring delirium.

**Dose.** Culpeper gave half a dram or two scruples of the powder, or less, by age and strength; of Mesue’s electuary, two drams, in the morning fasting.

**Standing.** In the London Pharmacopoeia of 1653.

## What lore surrounds it?

Mesue had it made up with honey into an electuary, Culpeper reports, and Mesue’s Italian editor of 1589 notes that it was by then made in solid form with sugar.

## What did the older authorities say?

**Mesue.** Gives the sweet electuary of musk (*confectio de musco dulcis*) and its bitter form: musk with saffron, aloeswood, pearls, burnt raw silk, amber, red coral, ginger, cubebs, and long pepper, made up with raw honey, for palpitation of the heart, melancholy and sadness without cause, and diseases of the brain such as vertigo and epilepsy; the bitter form adds wormwood, roses, aloes, castoreum, lovage, and cinnamon.

**The cordial powders.** These cordials, with their pearls and gems, were for the great: Mesue says that kings and great masters used his electuary of gems, which he tried for trembling of the heart, fainting, and sadness without cause; and Canale prescribes them to a patient whose heart the spirits have oppressed.

## Sources

- Mesue, *Grabadin*.
- Wikipedia, “Musk,” en.wikipedia.org (read 2 October 2026).
- Wikipedia, “Nutmeg,” en.wikipedia.org (read 2 October 2026).
- Wikipedia, “Pearl,” en.wikipedia.org (read 2 October 2026).
- Wikipedia, “Precious coral,” en.wikipedia.org (read 2 October 2026).
- Wikipedia, “Calcium carbonate,” en.wikipedia.org (read 2 October 2026).
- Culpeper, N. (1653). *Pharmacopoeia Londinensis*, “Diamoschu dulce.”

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*Diamoschu, sweet.* In *Materia Medica*, edited by B. C. P. Statema. Version 1, revised 2026-10-03. The Thinking Press. https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/diamoschu-sweet

Historical description, not medical advice.