146 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



ing 30, and is well garniHied with leaves ; 

 it never produces branches, unlefs the 

 main flalk is broke off. About 40 'years 

 ago, the anthelmintic virtues of the root of 

 this plant were difcovered by the Indi- 

 ans ; fmce which time it has been much 

 nfed here by phyiicians, praditioners, and 

 planters ; yet its true dofe is not general- 

 ly afcertained. I have given it in hun- 

 dreds of cafes, and been very attentive 

 to its effeds. I never found it do much 

 fervice, except when it proved gently pur- 

 gative. Its purgative quality naturally 

 led me to give it in febrile difeafes, which 

 feemed to arife from vifcidity in the pri- 

 m<E -vice; and, in thefe cafes, it fucceeded 

 to admiration, even when the fick did not 

 void worms. 



I have of late, previous to the ufe of the 

 Indian Pink, given a vomit, when the cir- 

 cumftances of the cafe permitted it ; and 

 I have found this method anfwer fo well, 

 that I think a vomit fhould never be o- 

 mitted. I have known half a drachm of 

 this root purge as brifldy as the fame 

 quantity of rhubarb ; at other times I 



have 



