4^ji H0RTUS JAMAICENSIS. i?i 



Ptcm pri -Uy, roundish; leaves umniied, ovate-cor(U:te, tl<rf3 or five-ncrve.l. 

 This plant is frequent in t'tie more cojI inland par.ts ofJan^aica. It grows vviki, i-ising 

 from a tliick porous root, and climbs by a pretty slender rigid stem, to tlie top of ti;*;' 

 tallest trees in the woods; this is adornei witha few pricliies towards the bottom, di- 

 vides iTito many branches at the top,- nud throws out its winding teiidiils iVorfi the foot- 

 stalks of the leaves. The root is coniuionly used in Jamaica, atnl observed to, answer 

 as well as that from the East Indies. It is of a shca,ihing nature, arid a very fit ingro- 

 tlient in all diintijig,a.pozems. - The plant may he easdy jiropagatedso as to supply th<; 

 European markets, if the medicine was in anygeneral lepute ; but, at pressut, what 

 grows wild is more than sufficient to supji'ly the inhabitants, atid serves frec|irefHly to 

 icvd the hoL;s, which arc said to live ciiie% Vipoadt, wiien there i& a scarcity of vi4. 

 fi'uit. Ji rcwn. 



This root grows in great plenty in lAitiK'nca. ft hath a root ss big as one's arm, is 

 crooked and- jointed, with knobs at every joint like some canes. The stems are very 

 tough, and when youBg of a green colour, very full of prickles like a rose -bush or 

 brier, but when older ha-, little orno prickles, ^md will grow to be bigger than a man's 

 thumb, and soinetimes ten or fitleon (eet high. Tiie leavcj are like the stndax aspera, 

 or saisaparilia .; ttiey are cordate<l, ssjiooth, of a very dariO green, witl) nei'ves like- 

 those of the English piantaiie-leaf. At the end and between the twii;s,comeout- the 

 flowers, several tagetiier, -hut frotn one centre, standing on an half- iwcn pistil,, of aa 

 iimbel fashioa ; each Dath six petals, with very small green apices, standnig round a' 

 green short stylus 5 -after, -follow so many blacKish bernfs, round, and of tiie bigness-" 

 of those of ivv, ha-^ingan- unsavoury purple pulp, with ,. ])urple stone as big as that of 

 the haw. Sometiijses a gum is to^ be founii, r.liich the Indians call tziliL'., which they 

 chew to strengthen -or fasten their teeth. I liave sec:i,a sort much wiiiter, wituout and 

 within, itban. tiie comtrion sort.. The useand virtues of this root are so well known for 

 and in..venefeal. cases, as f need not give any further descrijition of it ; only just men- 

 tion what use Br! Tra^iham made of it in such cases, v/lio practised many years in Ja-> 

 jnaica ; but he first ga%fe the following electuary : 



Take pulp'of tamarinds and cassia fistula, ot each half a pound ; juice of semper 

 ?ive, three pounds; small red pepper or capsicum, dried, one scruple; Winter's 

 cinnamon, one scruple and an half; of molasses, clarified with tiie white of an &g'^, a 

 pound and an ha'f Put all tiiC.-.e into an eartlicn pot, v^^iich pbice in the sun, .stirring 

 the mixture with a wooden spatula, two or tiiree times a day ; let it stand till it thickeui! 

 to a due consistence of a soft electuary, which keep for use as a general purge. The 

 (lose, from haif an ounce to an ounce and an half ; in clysters, two ounces. Let the 

 patient take half an ounce of this, or two good broad knife-points full, in the morning 

 fasting, and as much at night going to bed, two iiours after having eatn some spare- 

 supviej-; coutbnie every otherortiiird day till tne gonorrhoea ceases. The dose may 

 be lessened according as it vvorks ; and ttiose days they do not purge at r.ight, let them 

 take a drachm of china-root in powder, drinking the foliov^ing decoction or infusion of 

 china-root, warm, to sweat with ; the drink ought to be made new every day, v/ithout 

 "bedng fermented with-sugar crage. The water is only to he boiled as that for tea; 

 then so much china-root, sliced, addetl thereto as may mak-e it of a claret colour; there, 

 can be no excels in the root, neitlier need there to be added, save for palate sake, a.- 

 little sugar, for it is better without ; let him drink thereof every night in bed plenti- 

 isiUy, about tH'o q.uarts, tiic better to sweeten the sour juices, which china- root power- 



