46 HfORTUS JAMAICENSrS;. cov.TTcr?;- 



" Cnribus to know how far die application of the setiie to the external coats of worms 

 bred in tlie l;i>m,in bo(i< , woulil allo.ct t(;t)se animals whenc^pclleJ from the body, 1 

 waited not long before I liiul an opporiniiiity of raikii>j[^ tlte eptpenment.. A calabash, 

 lull of ver}' large ones, of tlie teres- kind,, in, full vigour, voided by a poer emucioted 

 patient, was broi^ght to me. Among these I sprinkled some of the set*,. For/a minute- 

 (^r two, no visible clfcct xyas produced ; but, in a lirtlc time,, they began to writhe and., 

 tivi.st tiiemselves in an unusual manner,,and exliilrited evident signs of'^extrenie torture. . 

 I- took, one of the worms, snA; vne\vin_g it through a- magnifying glass, per^;eived that 

 several of the seta; had picraed very deep, and others were sticking loosely in various' 



Sarts of the Ovly,. but that none of ihe spiciilae, which had once feut^red iota tlie skm, 

 roppe 1 off. 

 " Convinced, in a short time, both from wiiat I had heard, and from ray own expe- 

 riment: on the internal exbii)ition of the cowhage, of the safety an'l effi.acy of this in- 

 comparable medicine, I laid asiJsj the cabbage'-tr^e bark, and for several years have 

 lised no other vermifuge than this. . 



" M,- u-.ual way of preparing and administering itdias been in the fohn of an electuary^, 

 with ho'jey,.nielasses,or s;. ru-i, of a thick consistence, without observing any vtry exact, 

 proi^oraon in thequantit\ . t^e seta^ Of this electuary a tea.- sjjoonful is a sufficient dose 

 to young ciiildren ; and to aduits one or even two taoie spoonfuls in a morning fasiin"-. 

 This may- be r<?pe- ted fortwo or three mornings ; but, in general, there is seidom oc 

 casioH to go b( yoiid the third do.se ; and a gentle purge of some kimd or other -com- 

 iHonly completes the cure for the time. 



" The abov'e-mentioned \'ehicles (honej', &c.) bhnit the spicultE, and prevent their 

 injuring the iaiK-es an<l oesophag-ns ; and are preferable to an oily vehicle, because,, 

 lieing diluted in the stomach, by die succns ga.stricus, .the spicule are set free, and,, 

 reuaining their elasticity, enter into action j.wherea.'; oil, heitig not easily soluble by 

 till e secreted fluids o-t tiie. stomach, stiil continues to sheath the points of these little 

 spiculse, and carries theui thmugh that viscus, and the intestines, without setting them, 

 free ; and, by its kvlwicating qiralitj-, prevents then) from uking effect, or injuring 

 the worms they are sent to destroy. Oil is, therefore^ an improper vehicle ;. and this 

 will appear stiiiplainer, if we consider, that, to defend our hands from the trouble- 

 some effects of the sflap, when handling cowhage, if is necessary to oil the fingers. 



" No aBatomis,t will ask, wlietiier these spicnlge may not be injurious to the coats oT 

 tlie sttniwch and intestines ? but, as Ihave i>een asked this question by many people, 

 who, ignorant of the structure of the intestines, and the nature of their mucus, were 

 apprenen.sive of danger, and therefore afraid to venture on the medicine ; it maj' not . 

 be amiss to remark, for the satisfaction of'such as are in doubt concerning that point, 

 that, ifa httle-honey^or treacle is sufficient to defend the tender nervous papilli of the 

 mouth and fauces from the troublesome effects of the setce, (whicli,. when applied ex- 

 teriiallv to anv part of our skin, cause a most tormenting and intolerable itching, some- 

 times almost even to madness) certainly the mucus of the stomach and intestines will be 

 very suffici-tMitto defend tho^e parts from the irritation of the setce. 

 ' " Ni-vcrtheless, hoHe\er inoffensive in general the cowhage maybe, reason will, 

 dictate to us, that, where the nrucusof the stomach and intestines is abraded, or les- 

 sened, from dj'sentery, cholora-morhus, or any other cause whatsoever ; or where 

 there is a tendency towards inflammation in any part' of the intestinal canal, the exhi- 

 fijtion ot this niidi' ;ne cannot be unattended with danger. 



" I shall uot go so far as to say, iu jirauie of thi;^ iny favourite medicine, that E 



oeyej; 



