6 o ^ Treatise 5^ 
which he, and the reft of the Arabian Writers, have 
given both of thefe and feveral other Drugs, are 
fo fhort and ambiguous, that it is very difficult to 
draw any probable Conclufions from them. Where- 
fore, leaving thefe Uncertainties, we ffiall proceed 
to give an Account of the Zedoary which is now 
ufed in Medicines. 
In the Shops we meet with two Sorts of Zedoary 
(viz.) the long and the round ; which fome Authors 
fuppofe to be only different Parts of the fame 
Root. 
1. Zedoaria lorga , Off. Long Zedoary is a tu- 
berous, denfe, folid Root, two, three or four Inches 
long, as thick as one’s Finger, and ending at each 
Extremity in an obtufe Point, of a cineritious Co- 
lour on the Outfide and white within, having an 
acrid, aromatick, bitterifh Tafte, and a fubtile fra- 
grant Smell, emitting an exquifite Fragrancy, fome- 
thing like Camphore, when it is bruifed or mafti- 
cated. The belt is large, denfe, full, without 
Wrinkles, of a Subftance, as it were, fattiffi or 
clammy, but fo hard as to make fome Refiftance 
to the Teeth, of a very fragrant Scent, and free 
from Holes. 
2. Zedoaria rotunda , Off. Round Zedoary agrees 
exa£tly with the former in Subftance, Weight, So- 
lidity, Tafte, and Smell •, differing from it only in 
Figure, which is bulbous or globular, about an 
Inch thick, and a little uneven on its Surface from 
the Remains of Fibres which have been pared off, 
fometimes terminating in a fhort Point, from which, 
whilft it continues in the Ground, it ufually puts 
forth a Germ or fmall Shoot. 
Both Sorts, according to Garcias ab Horto and 
Herman , are brought from China •, but in the 
Shops round Zedoary is the more common. 
We 
