Foreign Vegetables. 143 
Four Ounces and five Drachms of the Oil above- 
mentioned, being rectified by Diftillation, gave up 
three Drachms of liquid Oil, with three Ounces 
and five Drachms of thick Oil of the Confidence 
of Butter ; and three Ounces, eight Grains, of 
black Earth were left in the Retort. 
From this Analyfis it appears that Sena contains a 
twofold Salt, the one ammoniacal, the other tar- 
tarous, united by a large Quantity of thick Oil. 
Hence arifes a gummo-refinous Compound, to 
which its purgative Virtue is owing : For the Ex- 
tract of Sena made with Water is ftrongly acri- 
monious, and eafily takes Fire when it is dry. 
This Drug has an extraordinary cathartick Vir- 
tue, no Medicine being more frequently ufed as a 
Purge, or to greater Advantage. Authors have 
wrote differently concerning its Qualities *, as alfo 
the Humours which it evacuates. Attmrius afferts 
that it difcharges Bile and Phlegm, though he has 
againfl him the Authority of Averrhoes , who fays 
Phlegm is not purged by this Medicine. Mejtts 
fays it draws Melancholy and aduft Bile from all 
the Bowels ; and Sylvius , a Phyfician of Paris , often 
obferved it to purge Water. In this Difagreement 
of Opinions, Rolfincius pronounces that Sena eva- 
cuates That Humour which abounds, and is bur- 
denfome to Nature. We fhall fcarce find another 
Medicine which fo effe&ually carries off corrupted, 
thick, and conftipated Humours, or fo powerful- 
ly removes old Obftru&ions. In long and flow 
Difeafes, arifing from Fouinefs, or old Obftru&i- 
ons of the Bowels, it is, fays Fernelius , a fingular 
Remedy ; as in (low and inveterate Fevers, Melan- 
choly, Epilepfy, Scab, Tetters, Vitiligo , Leprofy, 
and in fhort in all Impurities of the Blood. It 
often occafions Gripings of the Belly * but this is 
not to be afcribed to its Flatulency, but to the 
Humours, 
