436 A Treatise on 
that without any Danger, provided that the Nature 
of the Difeafe require it. 
Some Authors deny it a cathartick Quality. For 
Maffarias aflferts, from his own Experience, that an 
Infufion of Agarick has no purgative Virtue. In- 
deed Water extra&s very little from Agarick, as we 
have above obferved. But yet in Subftance it loof- 
ens the Belly, though weakly •, and for this Reafon 
it is joined with other purging Medicines, which it 
greatly helps, by attenuating and inciding the thick 
and tenacious Humours. 
C. Hoffman thinks that the alexipharmack Quali- 
ty, afcribed to it by the Ancients, is very little, if 
any : And I am of Opinion, that if it conduce any 
Way to the Operation of the Ingredients in Venice - 
Treacle, and other Antidotes, it is by inciding and 
deterging. 
Moreover, many Obfervations of Phyficians make 
appear, that Agarick has its Inconveniencies and 
Dangers. Thefe three Faults are oblerved in it. 
1 . That it oppreffes and hurts the Stomach ; whence 
a Naufea and Vomiting. 2. That it diftends the 
Bowels ; whence an Intumefcence of the Hypochon- 
dria and Abdomen , and fometimes an Inflammation. 
3. That its Operation is very flow *, and therefore it 
affords but little Relief to the Patient. For thefe 
Reafons Daniel Ludovicus rejedls it from his Myro - 
thecium . But a Medicine highly commended by the 
Ancients, and frequently and advantageoufly ufed by 
the Moderns, is not to be defpifed. It muff: indeed 
be cautioufly made ufe of and feafonably. Catarrhous 
Affe&ions, for which it is chiefly extolled, ought 
to be free from a Fever, and fuch as require a Me- 
dicine of this Kind, to attenuate and liquefy the 
fizy and concreted Serum. The fame may be faid 
of Diforders of the Bread, arifing from Infar&ions 
of the Lungs, efpecially of an Afthma and difficult 
Refpiration. In acute Diftempers, or where Bile 
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