Foreign Vegetables. 363 
it in Water mixed with Syrup of Violets takes a 
green Colour. But this Colour does not arife from 
the alkaline Salt contained in it, but from the Mix- 
ture of the yellow and the blue Molecule : Which 
Painters daily experience, by mixing yellow Pow- 
ders with blue, and Philofopers, by joining yellow 
and blue Glaffes. 
Gamboge is reckoned among the ftronger hydra- 
gogue Catharticks. It evacuates particularly ferous 
and thin bilious Humours, both upwards and down- 
wards, fuddenly, exerting its Operation almoft as 
foon as taken, and without Uneafinefs or Griping. 
On this Account it is frequently ufed in the Drop- 
fy, Cachexy, Coughs, Difficulty of Breathing, 
Afthma, Jaundice, Catarrhs, Gout, Scab, and other 
Diftempers of the like Nature. 
Some Phyficians were at firft afraid of ufing 
this Medicine, by Reafon of its Violence. Of this 
Number was Horftius , who in his Epiftles, Seff. 9. 
fays he thought it fafer to abftain from it, left 
he fhould make Experiments at the Coft of other 
Men’s Torments : Yet afterwards, when he was 
appointed firft Phyfician at Ulm , he began to have 
a more favourable Opinion of it, retrading in a 
great Meafure what he had faid before. Others have 
experienced its Ufe fo fuccefsful, that they have 
not ftuck to adminifter it freely, even to Children, 
to old, and confumptive People, and to pregnant 
Women : Among thefe was Hechjletterus , a Phy- 
fician of Augfpurg , , who in the Space of nine Years 
prefcribed to his Patients many Pounds of it. In- 
deed they who know how to give this Medicine un- 
der proper Cautions,’ and to time it well, find thefe 
Conveniences in it, that it has no Smell and but lit- 
tle Tafte ; that it may be taken in a fmall Dofe, and 
performs its Operation fpeedily ; that it powerfully 
dilfolves vifcid tenacious Humours in what Part of 
the 
