a. and sb. Forms: 5 stiptik, -tyk, 5–6 styptyke, 6–7 -tike, 5–7 stiptike, 6 -tyke, 5–8 stiptick(e, styptique, (7 stiptict, stiticke), 7 stypticke, 7–8 styptick, stiptic, 7– styptic. [ad. late L. stypticus, a. Gr. στυπτικός, f. στύφ-ειν to contract, have an astringent effect upon. Cf. F. styptique.] A. adj.
1. Having the power of contracting organic tissue; having an austere or acid taste; harsh or raw to the palate; having a binding effect on the stomach or bowels.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 98. Diete him with colde metis & stiptik.
c. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 81. Al stiptik þingz bene repressiue of humours.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., XI. 281. The stiptyk whyte [wine] a stomak that is laxe Wole helpe.
1477. Norton, Ord. Alch., v. in Ashm. (1652), 74. And so is Sowerish tast called Sapor Pontick, And lesse Sower allso called Sapor Stiptick.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, II. vii. (1541), 18 b. Meates stiptike or rough on the tonge, byndeth and comforteth appetite.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, VI. lxviii. 745. The gal [of the oak] is also very binding and stiptique.
1610. B. Jonson, Alchemist, II. v. What’s that? A Lullianist? a Ripley?… Know you the sapor pontick? sapor stiptick?
1620. Venner, Via Recta, viii. 188. Take … some stypticke thing after meale … that may inhibit the ascending of vapors, by closing vp the mouth of the stomack.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., VI. xii. 338. There is a sowre, stipticke salt diffused through the earth, which passing a concoction in plants, becommeth milder and more agreeable unto the sense.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, in Aliments, etc. (1735), 250. Austere, astringent, vegetable Substances…; as Several sorts of Plumbs,… distinguishable by their rough styptick Taste…. Pomegranates, which contain a Juice styptick, and extremely cooling.
1804. Med. Jrnl., XII. 30. Dogberry tree…. The berries of this tree have a styptic quality, and are bitter to the taste.
1871. Garrod, Mat. Med. (ed. 3), 88. An orange-brown solution, with a strong styptic taste.
b. Of a medicament, etc.: That arrests hæmorrhage.
c. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 27. Puluer of alum, zucarin combust, ‘bole armenic,’ [etc.] … ar … of þe same vertu in regeneracion of flesch an cicatrizacione and þat þai bene al stiptik.
1543. Traheron, Vigo’s Chirurg., III. xi. 100 b/2. Ye shal minister this … which is stiptike, & consoundeth or ioyneth together, ye woundes in the guttes.
1658. A. Fox, trans. Würtz’ Surg., II. xiii. 97. These Wounds … ought to be healed with stiptick Plaisters.
1673. Phil. Trans., VIII. 6115. The Royal Styptique liquor was used in the last engagement against the Dutch by the Chirurgions.
1717. Pope, Iliad, XI. 983. A bitter root he bruised; The wound he wash’d, the styptic juice infused.
1745. R. James, Med. Dict., III. s.v. Styptica, I found that many little Trials were made there, also, with a Styptic Ball, mixed with French Brandy.
1872. T. G. Thomas, Dis. Women, 107. Both these cases readily yielded to the recumbent posture, and the application of cold and styptic compresses.
1880. W. MacCormac, Antisept. Surg., 167. Pure spirit is a good application; it is slightly styptic and quite antiseptic.
c. fig.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., I. (1879), 98. Find the sawce sowre and stiptick enough in Hell.
1637. Heywood, Dial., ii. Wks. 1874, VI. 118. By her the Boy would be so much insenc’d, To aime a shaft in Stiptick poison dipt.
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., II. iii. 56. Not medling with that restraining and styptick surgery which the law uses,… against the eruptions and outermost effects thereof [malice].
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, III. xcviii. That stiptic Word full in the Priest’s face flew, And fastned mystic chains upon his Tongue.
d. In plant-names.
1847. Darlington, Amer. Weeds, 110. Cassia occidentalis.… Styptic Weed.
1864. Grisebach, Flora Brit. W. Ind., 788/1. Styptic- or velvet-bur: Priva echinata.
† 2. Of a person, etc., the bowels: Costive. Obs.
1582. Hester, Secr. Phiorav., III. lv. 77. This Diatartaro is good … for those that are stiptike of bodie.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 381. A belly neither continually loose nor stiptike.
B. sb.
1. A substance having the power of contracting organic tissue.
a. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 226. Þou schalt avoide þe matere, & þou schalt comforte þe place [the mouth of the stomach] with stiptikis.
1638. trans. Bacon’s Life & Death (1650), 37. This inconvenience is remedied … by shutting the mouth of the Stomach strongly, with Stiptickes.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, II. 132. Gums and Pomatums shall his flight restrain,… Or Alum styptics with contracting pow’r Shrink his thin essence like a rivel’d flow’r.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, I. 13. That austere, rough styptic, called alum.
b. as a remedy for hæmorrhage.
c. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 74. Afterward [after phlebotomy] be þer done suffumigacion or fomentacion of gall, or of … wormode, horsmynt, and sich oþer stiptikez.
1676. Wiseman, Chirurg. Treat., V. ix. 399. There was an effusion of bloud…: but having Dossils ready dipt in the Royal Stiptick, we applied them.
1755. Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr. (1861), III. 322. Her nose … has already bled 15 or 16 ounces: it is at present stopped by Eaton’s Stiptic.
1825. Scott, Talism., xiv. The physician … withdrew from the wounded shoulder the fragment of the weapon, and stopped with styptics and bandages the effusion of blood which followed.
1842. Penny Cycl., XXIII. 180/2. Those astringents are alone entitled to be called styptics which can be applied directly to the bleeding orifice; and of these some act chemically, others vitally, and others merely mechanically.
1884. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg. (ed. 4), I. 481. Astringents or styptics are valuable agents in the arrest of bleeding…. ‘Cold’ is a powerful styptic.
c. fig.
1785. Geo. A. Bellamy, Apology (ed. 3), VI. 119. Hope, celestial Comforter! that only Styptic for a bleeding heart.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, II. xii. 120. Again the flow of words is checked by the styptic [sc. a kiss] previously applied.
1858. Mrs. Oliphant, Laird of Norlaw, III. 92. Vulgar, needful business, the very elements of daily necessity—these are the best styptics for thrusts in the heart.
1879. Dowden, Southey, ii. 28. He had been squandering his emotions; he had been indulging in a luxury and waste of passion. Here was a tonic and a styptic.
† 2. A mordant. Obs. rare.
1685. W. Cole, in Phil. Trans., XV. 1281. The last and most beautifull colour … will … be … of a fair bright Crimson…; which afterwards (notwithstanding there is no use of any Stiptic to bind the colour) will continue the same.
