Plants. LXXX. 



MEDICINAL PLANTS.. 



Vol IV. Nq. 32. 



Fig. 1. The Senna. 



{Cajjia Senna.) 



The Senna - leaves which are known and ufed 

 everywhere as a purging remedy, come from the 

 Senna, a bush of 3 or 4 feet high, which feldom 

 Jafts ahove a Year. This bush grows frequently 

 in Syria, Arabia and Egypt s efpecially in Egypt 

 it is a very important article of commerce , and 

 the belt Senna comes from Alexandria to Europe. 

 The Senna thrives alfo by Culture in different 

 parts of Italy and the South of France, but the 

 leaves are with regard to their virtue much infe- 

 riour to thofe of Egypt, and the only preference 

 they have, is, that they are to be had frefher. 



The final! oblong leaves grow elofe and op- 

 polite to one another on the thin ftalks. The 

 yellow five leaved flowers QA) form along with 

 their Items a kind of ears; and the oval feeds 

 lye, feparated one from the other by particular 

 husks in the green pods (fi). 



The leaves contain a thickish, itrong (mel- 

 liti g volatile Oil which may be extracted by 

 in f alio n and this oil alone produces the purging 

 virtue in the leaves. In order to make the opera- 

 tion ftronger, the Senna - leaves muii not be boi- 

 led ; for in boiling the oil evapora tes ; only hot water 

 muft be poured over them and the decoction ufed. 



Fig. 2. -The Quafly wood. 

 (Quajfia amara!) 



The QuaJJy - wood is alfo well known , and 

 certainly for its falubrious virtues of great con- 

 fequence. It forms a bush of a middle fize and 

 is to be found in different parts of South Ame- 

 rica efpecially in Cayenne and Surinam , where 

 it grows wild though not very frequent on the 

 fides of the rivers. The oblong pointed leaves 

 grow by three or four pair on the ftalks, which 

 have winglike prolongations on both Sides (A). 

 The five leaved fehlet flowers ftand like bun- 

 ches ciofe to one another (B~), 



The root of this bush (c) which becomes 

 fometimes as thick as an arm is ufed in Medi- 

 cine. A Negro called Quaffi or GualTi firft disco- 

 vered its medicinal virtues and from him the 

 Bush is itili in medicine called Quaßia. The root 

 is very light and loofe but pretty compact; it con- 

 tains a bitter Stuff which may be extracted even 

 by cold water, and which in different efpecially 

 nervous difeafes is ufed with good effect. 



Far the genuine Quaffy , which is pretty dear, 

 very often another kind is fubftituted which is 

 much inferiour in its qualities. 



