COLOCYNTHIS. 211 
tinguishing the summer fruits from one another, owing to the 
confusion of names which had taken place among the authors 
who had treated of them ;” and these remarks may apply to the 
plant in question, as we find the Colocynth described by Theo- 
phrastus put down by Stackhouse as the Cucumis Colocynthis, 
and by others as the common cucumber. Again, the Kod. aypiz 
of Hippocrates has been considered to be the Cucumis Colo- 
cynthis by Pereira; the Cucumis sativus by Sprengel and 
other commentators ; and Cucurbita sylvestris, or Wild Gourd, 
by Gerarde; the latter declares the Colocynth to be the Wild 
Citrull, and he says: “ The Latine translators for Colocynthis do 
oftentimes set down Cucurbita sylvestris; notwithstanding this 
differeth from Colocynthis or Coloquintida, for Cucurbita syl- 
vestris is called in Greeke, Kodoxuv92 aypia.”” 
The Colocynth of modern times is supposed to be the gourd 
mentioned in the Second Book of Kings, chap. iv., v. 39, 
when, in the famine in Gilgal, the prophet Elisha showed his 
divine mission by making the poisonous gourd a wholesome 
vegetable. 
The Arabian physicians called it Alhandal, and were well 
acquainted with its properties. It is mentioned in the works 
of Avicenna, Serapion, Mesne, Ebn Baithar, etc. 
The Greek physicians employed it chiefly as a drastic 
purgative in dropsy, lethargy, and in mania, and to produce 
abortion. 
From its violent drastic effects, it has been in general use 
from the earliest times as an ingredient in most purges, and has 
been employed chiefly: In alvine obstructions. Habitual con- 
stipation. Some diseases of the brain, as apoplexy, mania. In 
dropsy and in amenorrhea and chlorosis, as a sympathetic 
medicine. Inchronic goutand rheumatism. Paralysis. Para- 
plegia and hemiplegia (Schneider). - Gastric nervous fever 
(Hochenberger). Hematemesis. Hemorrhoidal colic (¢d.) 
Affections of the liver (¢d.) Dysentery (Arader). Paralysis 
of the bladder (Newmann). Paralysis of the upper and lower 
