Foreign Vegetables. 161 
late the Inteflines to Excretion ; Specially when 
they are taken before Meals. They iqoncodl, ripen, 
and deterge thick Humours, which fluff up the 
Breafl, cleanfe the Kidneys of Gravely affwage 
Pains in the Bladder, and are reckoned to ' facili- 
tate Delivery, being eaten for a few Days before 
Labour, and are often taken for this Purpofe roaft- 
ed. They provoke Sweat and forward the Erup- 
tion of Puftules ; for which Reafon many Phyfi- 
cians prefcribe them in the Meafles and Small Pox. 
Some commend a Decodlion of them to be drank 
plentifully for the Pains in the Plumbers Colick ; 
and being frequently held or gargled in the Mouth, 
it brings all Tumours and Abfceffes of the Jaws 
and neighbouring Parts to a fpeedy and eafy Sup- 
puration. Galen afcribes to them a Virtue of re- 
filling deadly Poifons •, and it was of thefe that 
Mithridates made his famous Antidote, which he 
ufed to take as a Prefervative againfl Poifon. This 
Compofition confifled of twenty Leaves of Rue, 
two dry Figs, and as many dry Wall-Nuts, pound- 
ed together with fome Bay-Salt. 
Galen, P. JEgineta , Oribajius , and likewife fome 
modern Writers, are fully perfuaded that the fre- 
quent Ufe of Figs produces Lice. Yet Athenaus , 
1. 2 . Deipnofoph. obferves that Anchimolus and Mof- 
chus , both Philofophers and Rhetoricians of Elis , 
were not fubjedl to this Inconvenience, notwithfland- 
ing their common Diet all their Life had been only 
Figs and Water. Fie adds, however, that their 
Sweat was of fo rank a Smell, that all People avoid- 
ed coming near them in the publick Baths : Whence 
Simon Paulli advifes thofe who have a foetid Smell 
under the Arm-pits to abflain from Figs. They 
ferment and rarify the Bile like Honey, Sugar, and 
other fweet Things ; and are therefore very impro- 
per in bilious Temperaments, in Fevers arifing 
M from 
