I 3^4 1 



infedt of the Coleopterous order ^ with filiform an- 

 tennae, and diftinguifhed from the other genera by 

 the rounded thorax, and gibbous inflexed head. 

 The fpecies in common ufe is found all over Eu- 

 rope^ more or lefs, on the Privet^ the AJh^ and the' 

 Elder ; but there are alfo three others endued with 

 the fame veficating acrimony, two of which are 

 European^ and the other common all over the Eaft^ 

 and particularly in China^ where it is ufed in the 

 (hops ; and there are many reafons mentioned by 

 our author to prove, that this laft (the Meke 

 Cichorii, Syft. 680.) is the true Cant harts of Diof- 

 corides. 



After a copious natural hiflory of the infeft, 

 our author gives the form of fcveral veficating 

 plafters, and prefcribes the places and mode of 

 application. In his laft chapter, which is profef- 

 fedly medical, he treats on the internal and external 

 ufe of Cantharides^ principally confidering how far 

 they are fafe and ufeful as diuretics, when admini- 

 ftered internally : under this head he introduces 

 a cafe, which furnifiies a caution againft the ufe of 

 them as Aphrodijiacs. After pren'^ifing fome general 

 obfervations on the adlion and ufeof blifiiers, he con- 

 cludes by enumerating all thofe difeafes in which 

 they are falutary, and thofe in which they are par- 

 ticularly contra- indicated. In England^ where it 

 is thought the ufe of blifters is better afcertained 

 than in fome other nations, the intelligent phyfi- 

 cian will not exped to meet with much new matter 

 on this fubjedt. 



109. Dl^TA 



