Book IV. Hand of BARBADOS. 
The great Boerhaave obferves, that the frefh Oil of Sweet-Almorids, 
taken in a Linéfus, proves an excellent Emollient, where the Fauces are 
grown rough with an Azgina : And yet, if the fame fhould be taken by 
a Perfon in Health, after it had ftood in the Heat of a Summer’s Day, it 
would corrode and inflame them. Add to this, that the fweeter thefe 
Oilsare, when frefh, the more acrid they are, when they are old and rancid. 
Hence the fame ingenious Author’ obferves, how abominable are 
Almonds, Walnuts, and Piftach-nuts, when they once become rancid ; 
and how eafily they will caufe an Angina, and raife a Fever, by inflame- 
ing the Throat, Oefophagus, Stomach, and Inteftines: ; 
How inexcufable therefore muft thofe Praitioners in Phyfic here be, 
who for the above Purpofes ufe the rancid Oil of Almonds, when they 
might every Day extract the beft and {weeteft of Oils from the Coco 
Nut-kernel ! 
From this feeming Digreflion, concerning the Nature of Oils, we may 
proceed to obferve, that, if the Liquor in the Nut ke firft fermented, I 
make no doubt of its producing, upon Diftillation, a ftrong Spirit ; and 
likewife, if a confiderable Quantity of it were boiled for a long time, it 
would probably yield a fmiall Quantity of Sugar. 
This Tree is delineated in P/aze IIL. 
The BARREN Coco NutT-rTREE. 
AG HIS differs very little, if any thing, in its Shape and Texture, froni 
that already defcribed : However, this never bears any Nuts, but 
an husky Subftance only, refembling in Shape a common Coco Nut. 
Thefe are fo rare, that I never faw any myfelf ; but had them defcribed 
by a Perfon of great Veracity. 
The CaBBAGE-TREE ; Lat. PaLMA Maxima. 
apres Tree is by fome Authors called The Palmeto Royal. And well 
may it be called Royal from its great Height, majeftic Appearance, 
and Beauty of its waving Foliage: Neither the tall Cedars of Lebanon, 
nor any of the Trees of the Foreft, are equal to it in Height, Beauty, or 
Proportion ; fo that it claims among Vegetables that Superiority which 
Virgil gives to Rome, among the Cities of Italy : 
Verum hec tantum alias inter caput extulit urbes, 
Quantum lenta folent inter viburna cupreff. Ecl. I. 
Imperial Rome o’er other Cities tow’rs, 
As lofty Cyprefs humble Shrubs o’erpow’rs. 
Its Roots are innumerable, refembling fo many round Thongs, of a 
regular determinate Bignefs, feldom exceeding the Size of the little Finger, 
Ee but 
