Etymology From Middle French abstersif, from Latin abstersus.
1
Cleansing; purging; abstergent.
If he cannot digeſt a ſtrong and abſterſive drugge, for to remove his evill, let him at leaſt take a lenitive pill to eaſe the ſame.1603, Michel de Montaigne, “That the taste of goods or evilles doth greatly depend on the opinion we have of them”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 137:
Therefore it is good, after Purging, to vſe Apozumes, and Broths, not ſo much Opening as thoſe vſed before Purging, but Abſterſiue and Mundifying Cliſters alſo are good to conclude with, to draw away the Reliques of the Humours, that may haue deſcended to the Lower Region of the Body.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “I. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 65, pages 21–22:
1 more example
[S]ome Bodies taken into that of a Man, are deoppilating, others inciding, reſolving, diſcuſſing, ſuppurating, abſterſive of noxious adherences, and thickning the Blood and humors, being aſtringent, Anodinous or appeaſing paine &c.1671, Robert Boyle, “An Introduction to the History of Particular Qualities. Chapter I.”, in Tracts […]. About the Cosmicall Qualities of Things. […], London: […] W[illiam] H[all] for Ric[hard] Davis, →OCLC, page 6:
[…]the ſtrong abſterſive of ſom heroick magiſtrat[…]1645 March 14 (Gregorian calendar), John Milton, Tetrachordon: Expositions upon the Foure Chief Places in Scripture, which Treat of Mariage, or Nullities in Mariage. […], London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 11: