BY Prcern 
by i 
OLEA £UROPMA.- “ORD. XVI. Sepearice. 283 
sand affords much nourishment : +t some, however, oily substan- 
ces do not unite with the contents of the stomach, and are fre- 
quently brought up by eructation ; this happens more especially 
to those whose stomachs abound with acid to an uncommon degree. 7 
Oil considered as a medicine is supposed to correct acrimony, and 
to lubricate and relax the fibres; and therefore has been recom- 
mended internally to obviate the effects of various stimuli, which 
produce irritation, and consequent inflammation; on this ground 
it has generally been prescribed in coughs, catarrhal affections, and 
erosions. This oil has likewise been successfully used in worm 
cases, and in nephritic pains, spasms, colics, constipations of the 
bowels, &c. Externally it has been found an useful application to 
bites and stings of various poisonous animals,° burns, tumours, and 
other affections, both by itself or as mixed in liniments or poul- 
tices, Oil rubbed over the body has been found by many of great 
service in dropsies, particularly i in ascites, in which three instances 
of its success are related in the Philosophical Transactions by Dr. 
Oliver.’ Boenniken* has mentioned the successful use of oil in 
4 Cullen, M. M. vol. ¢. p. 302. 
¢ See the experiments of William Oliver, related in the Philosephical Transactions, 
vol. 39. p. 310. by which it appears that this man suffered his arm to be bitten by 
serpents, and waited till most violent symptems ensued, when they were soon re- 
moved by applying warm oil of Olives to the affected part. Similar experiments 
were made upon pigeons, dogs, &c. with equal success. It failed however at Oxford, 
where these trials were made upon poultry, &c. See /. c. p. 394. Numerous ex- 
periments of this kind were repeated with various success, and published in the Mem. 
de L’Acad. de Sc. 1737. It is to be regretted, that the particular species of 
serpent, by which the bites were given, was not ascertained in any of the cases al- 
luded te. Linnzus was much disappointed in the use of the oil, and says, that a 
woman, bitten by the Coluber Chersea, died in great agony, though the oil was libe- 
rally administered both externally and internally, Amen. Acad, vol. vi. p. 213. 
& vol it. p. 407. 
€ Philosophical Trans. vol. 49. p. 46. For other instances, see dnn. Med. 1. p. 
90. Beobacht. a. d. Arzneyw. p. 569. sqq. And Gardane, Gazette de Santé 
1773. & 1774. p. 29, 254, 267, 279. 
* Frank. Samml. T. B. 590. sqq. 
