Foreign Vegetables* 115 
its Reputation there ; from whence it became 
known to the reft of the World, and was much 
ufed in all Places, till the fovereign Efficacy of 
Quickfilver was difcovered ; After which, by De- 
grees, it grew more and more out of ufe. Yet 
we muft allow, that in hot Climates it is able to 
conquer the Difeafe, provided that the Cure be 
conduced in a proper Manner ; but in a cold Air, 
where the Perfpiration is more fparing, and harder, 
to be promoted, it cannot be fafely depended on 
without the Affiftance of Mercurials. 
Some aflert that the Bark hath the fame Virtues 
with the Wood, or even greater •, though others, 
as C. Hoffman , Maithiolus , and Fallopius , fuppofe 
it to be much inferior. Fernelius , however, afcribes 
to it a more powerful Energy in attenuating, dry- 
ing, and provoking Sweat *, but reckons it over 
heating, and very prejudicial in a febrile State of 
the Blood, or an hot and dry lntemperies of the 
Liver. And indeed what Fernelius had difcovered, 
as well by its being of a more acrid and bitter 
Tafte than the Wood, as by long Experience, 
feems to be proved from its Analyfis ; fince the 
Bark, as we have faid, contains a much larger Pro- 
portion of fubtile Parts, that is, of alkaline Salts, 
both volatile and fixt. 
To cure the Venereal Difeafe, when this Remedy 
was relied upon for that Purpofe, they took ^xij. of 
the Filings of the Wood, and §ij. of the Bark well 
bruifed ; though by fome the Bark was omitted. 
Thefe being macerated for the Space of a Day in 
Ifevp of Spring- Water, were afterwards boiled over 
a gentle Fire to a Diminution of Half the Liquor, 
or fometimes of three Fourths j which having 
flood to cool, was ftrained, and kept in a clofe 
Veffel for Ufe. This Deco&ion fome called the 
Cream of Guaiacum, and others Serapium , Upon 
I 2 y the 
