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H. Biifclioff, a writer on the fubjed:, in thefe words : — " Moxa is 

 " a foft woolly fubftance, prepared with great art, from a certain 

 " dried herb ; the name of the herb I know not, but I do not 

 " doubt that it is one of the moft excellent in all the world. 

 " No druggift or apothecary in all Europe knows the manner of 

 " preparing Moxa, but the art of doing it, is held in fuch eftima- 

 " tion by the Chinefe and Japanefe, that they will not fell the fc- 

 " cret to other nations at any price." 



My opinion upon the fubjedt is, that Moxa is only an excref- 

 cence on fome fruit, like the woolly fubftance on peaches, and 

 fome other fruits ; (and IFilhelm ten Rhync, another writer on the 

 fubjedl, fays, that it is the woolly part of a leaf) and I have at 

 times collected divers woolly fubftances, which are found on fome 

 leaves and fruits, and burnt them, particularly that wool which falls 

 from the poplar tree ; this, at firft fight of it, I hoped would take 

 fire very readily, and I thought the fame of the wool produced by 

 the willow, about the beginning of June, which is of a more in- 

 flammable nature than what is gathered from the poplar. But I 

 do not as yet know of, nor have found any vegetable woolly fub-f 

 Hance, which burns with fuch facility as cotton ; therefore, I 

 would recommend it to thofe who are afflidled with the Gout, and 

 defire to try the experiment of a cure by fire, and cannot pro- 

 cure Moxa for that purpofe, to ufe cotton, which may be had in 

 plenty. I have alfo tried the experiment of burning with com-' 

 mon tinder made from linen ; but this burns fo fiercely, and pene- 

 trates fo deep, that I believe the ufe of moxa or cotton ten times, 

 would not burn fo deep as one fingle application of common 

 tinder. 



