ly 6 A Treatise on 
mations, whether External or internal, when Purg- 
ing is indicated *, and is beneficial in thofe Difeafes 
which other Cathar ticks would but irritate and in- 
creafe. 
It is not given as a Cathartiek only in a large 
Dofe, but oftentimes is prefcribed as an Alterative 
in a fmall Quantity, to be taken a long Time to- 
gether *, fometimes to mollify the Belly when it is 
hard and dry, and to promote an eafy Difcharge 
of its Contents *, or fometimes to derive Humours, 
which flow preternatu rally upon particular Parts, 
to the Emundtories of the Inteftines, and there t o 
expel them ; as in long and ftubborn Affedtions, 
fuch as the Gout, Catarrh, Stone, Hemorrhoids, 
long Head-Aches, Hemicrania, &c. The Egyp- 
tians ufe the Pulp with Sugar-Candy and Liquo- 
rice, as a Secret againfl: Diforders of the Kidneys 
and Bladder : Monardus alfo and Mattloiolus , fol- 
lowing the Egyptians , reckon it an infallible Pre- 
fervative, as they call it, if three Drachms be taken 
every Day three Hours before Dinner. 
Both Mefue and Fallopius inculcate, that no 
purging Medicine is more agreeable to the Kidneys 
and Bladder, than this. All Phyficians however 
are not of the fame Opinion ; for Pigrceus and 
Fabncius Hildams affirm that it is offenfive to thefe 
Parts *, and Bellonius relates, in his Ephemerides , that 
the Surgeons of Paris , who pradtifed cutting for 
the Stone, obferved it to be highly prejudicial to 
Perfons who had undergone the Operation. Ne- 
verthelefs, we know from daily Experience, that 
fuch have no Danger to fear from it, under a pro- 
per Adminiftration. Fallopius indeed himfelf, who 
recommends it in Affedtions of the Bladder, in- 
forms us that a fcalding Heat of Urine is to be 
excepted. Nor can we doubt, but that in great 
Inflammations of the Kidneys and Bladder, it may 
