5 Treatise 
iirft are difcutient, attenuating and moderately de- 
terfive. Round Birthwort, however , is fuppofed 
to have finer Parts, and to be more efficacious. 
Therefore (fays Galen) where gentle Deterfion is re- 
quired, the long is more convenient •, as for Ulce- 
rations of the fieffiy Parts, and in Fomentations for 
the Womb. But when we propofe to refolve thick 
Humours, the round is preferable. 
All the Birthworts are cephalick, thoracick, ute- 
rine, vulnerary, and alexipharmack. The round is 
univerfally allowed to be more attenuating than 
the long ; and the long , on the contrary, is more 
powerfully deterfive than the round . Wherefore, 
in Affedtions of the Breaft from thick Humours, in 
Flatulencies and colick Pains, in Obftrudtions of 
the Spleen and Womb, and in Ruptures of Vef- 
fels to diffolve grumous Blood, round Birthwort 
ought to be ufed *, for it draws off various Excre- 
ments, by the Menfes , Urine , and Emundtories of 
the Skin. On the other Hand, in Wounds and 
fordid Ulcers, in the Scab and other cutaneous 
Difeafes, long Birthwort is preferable, being ufed 
In Lotions •, and in the fame Form is good to de- 
terge Fiftulas . But the principal and moft excel- 
lent Virtues of both confift in promoting the men- 
ftrual Purgations, and in cleanfmg the Womb after 
Delivery •, and on this Account they are commend- 
ed by Hippocrates in his Book on the Difeafes of 
Women. Yet we muff take Care not to give 
them to pregnant Women, for they provoke Ab- 
ortion. Simon Paulli propofes a Decodtion of the 
Root of round Birtlrwort to refolve the tartarous 
Mucilage in a fcorbutick Afthma. Externally in 
Ulcers of the Legs, he wonderfully extols long 
Birthwort boiled in the difbilled Water of Speed- 
well ; and Tragus recommends a Decodtion of it in 
Wine to cure Ulcers of the genital Parts. 
Thefe 
