Foreign Vegetables. 145 
Sena has been obferved to be highly prejudicial 
in thofe Difeafes wherein the Humours are in a 
State of Effervefcence, or the folid Parts inflamed : 
So that in Hemorrhages, in all Kinds of inflamma* 
tory Di {tempers, and in Affedions of the Bread 
we ought to avoid it. Thefe excepted, there is 
fcarce any Difeafe in which it may not be conveni- 
ently given, provided that the Rules of Art be 
duly regarded. 
Some have darted a Controverfy concerning the 
Preference of the Leaves, or Follicles. Among 
the Ancients, Mefue , Aquarius and Serapio , and 
among the Moderns, Fernelius , Lobelius and Pena^ 
prefer the Follicles : But Monardus , and mod Phy- 
ficians of this Age, are of the contrary Opinion. 
Indeed the Follicles are not fo griping as the Leaves, 
but are much weaker in their Operation. 
Sena is given either in Subdance, Infufion, or De- 
codion. It is prefcribed in Subdance or Powder 
from 3j. to gj. though feldom •, becaufe the Dofe 
being too large is inconvenient to take, and like- 
wile occafions greater Uneafinefs in working. The 
Infufion and Decodion are more eligible, in Cafe 
too much Heat be not ufed in preparing them ; 
for Mefue obferves, that the purgative Virtue of 
this Drug is eafily extraded, and that it evaporates 
by long boiling. It is ordered in Infufion or De- 
codion from £p to §fs. either alone, or with other 
Catharticks. 
To corred the naufeous Tade of Sena, fome di- 
red it with the Leaves of a Plant imported from 
Brafile , called Iquetaia , which M. Marc band , Fel- 
low of the Royal Academy of Sciences, has dif- 
covered to be the Scrophularia aquatica major , C. 
B. P. Phe great Water-Figwort. Thefe Leaves are 
infufed with Sena in hot Water, and the Tindure 
fo obtained is not unpleafant, 
L Take 
