14 HOIITUS JAMAICENSIS.. CASsrA- 



footstalks, as \}olI ns the young buds on the extremity of the. hranchos, ave guarded 

 round with stiff liairy bristles, wliich arp alw^iys tipped with ghitinons hquid droi)s.^ 

 From among tluse iise several small deep red pejUupetaloiis iiowers, the pistil of eaclj 

 being thitk set at the top with yellow farinaceous dast, which blows off when rijie : 

 these tlovvcrs are succeeded by hexagonal husky hlaclush berries, wliich when ripe open 

 by the heat of the sun, emitting a great many small dark-coloured seeds, which serve 

 as food for ground doves and poultry, whidi are very fond of them. The leaves are 

 few ; but seldom or never drop off, nor are eaten bv vermin of any kind. This plant 

 grows very commonly about the streets of Spanish Tov.'n and Kingt>ton., 



Dr. W'fight informs us. that a decoction of the leaves is often used with advantage in 

 si)asinodic belly-ache, atrended with vomiting ; it sits easier on the stomach tiian ;iny 

 tiling else, and seldom, tails to bring about a discharge by stool. The seeds are drastic 

 pui'ges and emetics ; aud they yield, by decoction, ap oil of the same uses and virtues 

 as the ol^umrkini. 



In the months of Marclv and April, there is found, in the ii^iside. pith of the foot- _ 

 stalk, a hard knotty excresi ence, of an oval shape, hard and yellowish, of divers sizes, , 

 as from a hazel-nut to alien's egg : 1 never could find what use they are of; only I ; 

 have olwerved the boys will powder them and give it for snuff, which will burn and 

 tickle the nqse, and cause greater sneezing than white hellebore,. I am apt to believe 

 they will purge violently ; for the young tops of this, plant, boiled, and Wittered, are 

 'often given in the dry belly-ache, as also in clysters, purging violently- when nothing 

 else would go through the patient. The seeds are like a small rianus ; and, if they 

 are not the true grauadilla, yet they piirge as strongly ; for two or three seeds, giveii- 

 by themselves, or mixed with j>ills, quicken the purging quality. I knew a pracliiioner 

 who always made up pill ex diwlnis with addition of these seeds, which made, the pill 

 work stronger and quicker, and kept it always moist, You make the pill thus : Take 

 wild cassada-seeds husked, three ounce?; cambogia, coliquintida, and scammony, of: 

 each one ounce ; make a pill according to art ; the close is two or three small ones. 

 They v/ill purge very briskly a!L watery humours. rJSar/iavt, p. 35. 



Six or more of the young leaves, of the vviW cassada, boiled and eaten as calalue, are 

 a strong purge in the dry belly-ache. Fjlteen or tuenty of the young leaves in decoc- 

 tion, with ca-stor oil, are used for a clyster in the same complaint. Dr. A. Kobinsjca^, 

 advises the decoction internally-, Daneer^s Med. yJss. 



Sec Physic Nut.- 



GASSIA-STICK TREE. CASSIA. 



Cl. 10, OR. \ .-^Decandria moiwgynia. Kat. or. Lomentaeeie, 

 Cen. CHAR. i'et' Cane -Piece Sensitive, /;. 151. 



nSTULA. PIPE. 



Ca.fsm nigra seu Jistulosa prima, sive cas&ia fistula Alexandrina.* 

 81oane, v. 2, p. 42. ylrhorea, foUis paucioribus ovatis atque pinna-^ 

 iii, sitiiiua maxima cj/liiidrscca, Bxowue, . 222, 



LcaEei^L 



