94 2^^ Ufeful Fafnilj HidaU 



^ 



Coral. 

 CORALLIUM. 



A Sea Plant of the Hardnefs of a Stone, and 

 ^^ with very little of the Appearance of an 

 Herb.^ The red Coral, which is the Sort ufed in 

 Medicine, grows a Foot or more in Height, the 

 Trunk is as thick as a Man's Thumb, and the 

 Branches are numerous. It is faftened to the 

 Rocks by a Cruft which fpreads over them, and 

 is covered all over with a Cruft alfo of a coarfe 

 Subllance and ftriated Texture. Towards the 

 Tops there are Flowers and Seeds, but very fmalj, 

 from thefe rife the young Plants. The Seeds have 

 a mucilaginous Matter about them, which fticks 

 them to the Rocks. The whole Plant appears 



like a naked Shrub without Leaves or vifibie 

 Flowers. 



It has been flippofed lately that Coral is made 

 by fmall Infe6bs, but this is an Error ; Polypes 

 live in Coral as Worms in Wood, but thefe don't 

 make the Trees nor the other. The Plant Coral 

 IS to be reduced to fine Powder, by grinding it 

 on a Marble, and then it is given to Hop Purg- 

 ings, to deflroy acid Humours in the Stomach, 

 and to fweeten the Blood. They fuppofe it alfo 

 a Cordial. Probably for all its real Ufes, Chalk 

 is a better Medicine. 



There are feveral Sorts of v/hite Coral, which 

 have been fonietimes ufed in Medicine, but all 

 .allow the red to be better, fo that they are not 

 kept in the Shops. 



CoRALtlNE, 



