i6 [^Treatise on 
times meet with three Sorts, under the Names of 
the Arabian , bitter and fweet Coftus ; which Pomet , 
in his Hiftory of Drugs, defcribes thus: “ The 
“ Arabian Cuftos , fays he, is an oblong, heavy 
“ Root, of a gray or whitifh Colour on the out- 
<c fide, and reddifh within, hard to be broken, of 
a fragrant Smell, and aromatick bitterifh Tafte. 
The bitter Coftus is thick, denfe, hard, woody, 
<c light, and fhining, and in Appearance rather 
<c like a Piece of Wood than the Fragment of a 
<c Root. And the fweet Coflus is a fmall yellow 
“ Root, refembling pretty much, in its Colour, 
Form and Thicknefs, the Root of Turmerick.** 
But . thefe Defcriptions are imperfect, or at lead 
they agree not with the Coftus which we now 
find in the Shops of Apothecaries: For this, 
which is almoft univerfally received or fubftituted 
For the Arabian or true Coftus , is a Root cut into 
oblong Pieces, an Inch thick, light, porous, and 
hard, but of a friable Texture, a little refinous, of 
a whitifh, or fometimes yellowifh gray Colour, an 
acrid, aromatick, bitterifh Tafte, and fragrant 
Smell, fomething like the Smell of Florentine Orris 
or Violets. 
According to Commelinus , and after him "Dale in 
his Pharmacologia y it is the Root of a Plant called 
Ffiana Kua , Hort . Malab . and Ponvo Bramanum «. 
which is the Coftus Iridem redolens feu Indicus , C. B« 
Coftus , Linn. Hort . Cliff. Pag. 2. PacoCaatinga Bra - 
filienfibus^ Marcgr. Bras. p. 48. Pifon. Bras. p. 98* 
Anonyma , Mer. Surin. 36. T. 36. It grows in the 
Forefts of Malabar , Brafile^ and Surinam . 
This Root has a Place amongft Cephalicks, Ex- 
pectorant's, and Uterines It attenuates and divides 
the Humours, and provokes Urine and Perfpirati- 
on. The Dofe in Subftance is gfs. and from 3ij. to 
jfs. in Infufion. 
Ar t. 
