Tlje Ufeful Fajnily Herbal 167 



A 



The Bitter Gourd, called B i t- 



T E R Apple. 



COLOCYNTHIS. 



Native of the Eafb, and of fomc other warm 



Countries, kept in our curious Gardens, and 

 ^affording the famous Drug called Coloquintide. It 

 is a fmall Plant of the Gourd kind. The Stalks 

 are thick, angular, hairy, and of a pale Green. 

 They cannot fupport themfelves, out have a 

 Number of Tendrils growing from them, by 

 which they lay hold of every Thing they come 

 near. The Leaves are large, broad, and very 

 deeply divided at the Edges. The Flowers are of 

 a pale Yellow, large, and not unlike the Flowers 

 of Melons. The Fruit is a round Gourd of the 

 Bignefs of the largeft Orange. The Bark is hard, 

 and the inner Part fpungy, with Seeds among it: 

 Thefe are flat, hard, and of an oval Figure, 



o 



The Fruit is the Part ufed, they take off the 

 Iter Shell, and fend the dried Pulp with the Seeds 

 _ it : but thefe are to be feparated afterwards, 

 d the Pulp ufed alone. It is a very violent 

 Purge, but it may be given with proper Caution, 

 and it is excellent againft the Rheumatifm, and 

 violent habitual Head-achs. Thefe rough Purges 

 will reach the Caufe of Diforders, that the com- 

 mon gentle ones would not touch ; and the prefent 

 Practice denies the Ufe of many of the befl Me- 



kn 



Gout Wort. 



PADAGRARA MERBA GERRARpi. 



* 



A Gpmmon wild Plant over-running our Gardens, 

 ■^^ and when once it has taken Root, very dit« 

 fupAt to be got out again ; it grows r.vo Feet liigh. 



M 4 The 



