333 



.reatly celebrated in eaRcrn countries for preventing and curinQ-manv 

 diforders -/ but chronic rheumatilms, goutj, and fome other painful 

 afFeaions of the joints, feem to be the chief complaints for which 

 they can be rationally employed. The manner of applying the Moxa 



very 



fimple : the part afFedied being previouljy moiftened 



a cone 



of the Moxa is laid,^ which being fet on fire at the apex, gradually 

 burns down to the ftin, where it produces a dark coloured fpot : by 

 repeating the procefs feveral times, an efchar is formed of any d 



d this on fep 

 healed up as circumftances may requir 



kept open or 



It is faid that the ufe of the Moxa was originally introduced by 

 the Jefuits f but it is probably of greater antiquity. From remote 

 dmes it has been the pradice to cauterize the affeaed parts by various 

 means. Hippocrates for this purpofe not only ufed iron but flax 

 alfo a fpecies of Fungus ;^ and the Laplanders ftill prefer the Agaric' 

 (Boletus igniarius) which they prepare and ufe in a fimilar way 

 as the Japan efe do their Moxa\ The ^Egyptians produced the fame 

 effeds by means of cotton or linen cloth j*" and in Spain a Moxa 

 is prepared from a fpecies of theEchinops. 



*■ For a full account of thefe fee Kaempfer jlmcen. exot. p. 502, l^c. Alfo Abbe 

 Grofier (Hjjl. of China) from whom it appears j that mirroi 



■Xr 



4* 



kind of cloth, of the down of artemifia. 



Ch 



s See Recuell d^obfervations curteufes^ torn, it* p. 114, 



y 



i 



' LiL de affe^, §.30. 



Harmens and Fiellftrom Dijf. Med. Lapp, in Hall. Colle£i. d'lff, fraSi, tom,vuf 



728. '^ Profper Alplnus, Z/'^. /■//. f. 12. /». 209 



ARTEMISIA 



