[Theriac in modern period (XVIIth-XXth centuries)]

After centuries of fluctuant usages, the theriac, this kind of universal drug to cure everything, was popular again starting from the XVIIth century and it will remain at the official french pharmacopea up to 1908. Viper was one of the key components, which was an opportunity for several authors to discuss about its real therapeutic value. Amont the tens of constituants of theriac, opium, in large quantities, was also an important part of this "électuaire". Its success was at the origin of many formulations (such as poors' theriac and celestial theriac), and falsifications, the most famous being the "Orvietan", driving pharmacists to produce it themselves. Counterfeiting being frequent, it became usual to prepare theriac publicly up to the french Revolution. Very much criticized, as a symbol of polypharmacy more and more rejected, theriac will progressively disappear during the XIXth century, sometime replaced nowadays by new universal drugs outside the pharmaceutical network.