Foreign Vegetables, i 73 
the Belly and expels them by Stool. Some alfo af- 
fert that it purges even by its Smell, or by holding 
it in the Hands. It is an Ingredient in many purg- 
ing Pills and Extracts. 
A r t 1 c. IV. Of purging Cassia. 
Cajfia folutiva , Caffia Nigra , filiqua JEgyptiaca , 
Off. et Caffia fiftula , quorumdam : Eiar Xamber , Se- 
rap. Chair fan der^ Avicen. K ourvla, pskouvet, Adiuar. et 
Gracor. recentior. Caffia is an exotick Fruit or 
cylindrical Pod, a Cubit long and about an Inch 
thick, compofed of a thin, hardiffi, woody Shell, 
which on the outfide is of a dark brown Colour, 
and yellowifh within, having its Cavity divided in- 
to many Cells by thin woody Partitions, Handing 
tranfverlly and parallel to each other. In thefe Cells 
is included a foft, black, melleous Pulp, of a fweet- 
ifh, and fomewhat acrid Tafte, with a fiattifh, oval, 
hard, fmooth, chefnut-coloured Seed between every 
Partition. In the Shops we meet with two Sorts ; 
the one, Oriental , which is called Caffia Alexandrina y 
or JEg)ptiaca , being brought hither from Egypt ; 
the other, Occidental , which being cultivated in the 
Elands of America , is imported in greater Quan- 
tities, and fold at a lower Rate. The Bark of this 
is thicker, rougher, and more wrinkled, and the 
Pulp is acrid and naufeous. On the contrary, the 
Bark of the other Sort is thinner and blacker •, the 
Pulp alfo is fweet and not unplealant ; and is there- 
fore preferable to the Occidental. The Pods are to 
be chofen heavy, freffi, and full, fo as not to rat- 
tle upon fhaking them. The Pulp within ought 
to be fat, of a fhining black Colour, and fweet ; 
not acerb by Reafon of its Immaturity, nor four 
by long keeping : Neither ought it to be too dry, 
iior too moift, nor mouldy. The Merchants have 
a Cuftom 
