Foreign Vegetables. 139 
Fig. 1. It grows in fuch Plenty in fome Parts of 
Arabia, that it is the common Fodder for Camels. 
Formerly all the Parts of Scoenanth were em- 
ployed .in Phyfick (viz.) the Blade, Flower and 
Root, Biof cor ides having made Mention of them. 
Some commend only the Leaves, afferting that they 
are preferable to the Flowers : But all the Parts are 
odoriferous, and not void of Efficacy. The Leaves 
vellicate the Tongue with a pleafant aromatick Acri- 
mony. The Root has an hot aromatick Tafte. 
The freffi Flowers alfo are gently aromatick *, but 
being kept a Year they have no longer this Quali- 
ty, and after two years are quite ufelefs. More- 
over, to thefe Parts are afcribed different Proper- 
ties. The Root is more aftringent than the Flower, 
and the Flower, as confifting of more fubtile Parts, 
is hotter than the Leaf. Therefore Scoenanth ought 
to be made Choice of for medicinal Compofitions, 
freffi, with Flowers upon it, odoriferous, aroma- 
tick, and hot upon the Tongue. 
It abounds with an effential aromatick Oil, 
which is obtained by Diftillation ; but it is feldom 
ufed in the Shops. 
Diofcorides and Galen attribute to Scoenanth a 
Virtue of provoking Urine and the Menfes , and of 
curing Inflations of the Liver, Stomach and Belly, 
being either applied by Way of Fomentation, or 
drank in Decodtion. Among the Moderns it is 
chiefly ufed againft Obftrudtions of the Bowels, par- 
ticularly of the Womb, Liver, ^nd Spleen; as al- 
fo in the Hickup, Vomiting, Difficulty of Urine, 
and Inflation of the Stomach, The Dofe in Pow- 
der is 3j. and in Decodtion in Wine or Water to jij. 
Externally, included in Sacks, or boiled in Loti- 
ons, it ftrengthens the Head, Stomach, and the 
other Bowels. Simon Paulli relates, that Meibomtus 
gave Scoenanth, mixed with the Root of Cyperus , 
as a Specifick in Ulcers of the Bladder. 
Ar tic. 
