Foreign Vegetables, 201 
of Body. With us here the Ufe of black Pepper 
is more general ; but the white, being lefs acrid, 
is more agreeable to nicer Palates. Long Pepper 
is chiefly confined to Medicines, becaufe it is more 
acrid, and not fo grateful in Sauces as the others. 
It mufi be noted, that when we meet with Pepper 
in Prefcriptions without an Epithet, black Pepper 
is always to be underftood, for the white and the 
long are never prefcribed without their proper 
DiftindHons. 
Thefe three Species of Pepper have the fame 
Virtues (viz.) they heat, dry, attenuate, refolve, 
open, fortify the too lax Fibres of the Bowels, and 
excite their Ofcillation, raife the Spirits, divide 
thick tough Humours, and acoelerate the Motion 
of the Blood. Pepper is of fingular Ufe in Cold- 
nefs or Crudity of the Stomach, in colick Pains, 
and a cold Intemper ies of the Brain. Some aflert 
that in Powder it is heating •, and, on the other 
Hand, is cooling, when taken whole : But this 
appears to be a Miftake. It is true indeed the 
Powder, by adhering to the inner Coat of the Sto- 
mach, and by lying a long Time within its Fold- 
ings, in fome Conftitutions may produce Heat and 
Inflammation of the Part ; which feldom or never 
happens if the Grains are fwallowed entire *, though 
their Efficacy is much the fame. For it is evident 
that Pepper boiled or macerated with Vi6tuals, 
whether it be whole or reduced to Powder, com- 
municates an equal Acrimony to them : So that 
when taken whole, it is not cooling, but in the 
Bowels excites only a gentle Heat, and much lefs 
than the Powder. 
Schroder obferves, after Galen , that the Virtue of 
Pepper is very volatile ; the Reafon of which is 
evident from its Analyfis. Wherefore it ought 
never to be ufed in Extra&s, nor in Medicines 
3 which 
