M Y 
ME C 304 ) 
monly holdMaftick in their 
Mouths, to itrengthen their 
Teech and Gums, and to 
perfume their Breath ; they 
alfo bake it with their 
Bread, to give it a good 
Tafte, In fhort, Maftick 
is prefer’d before all other 
Medicines,in thofeDifeales 
where there is need of 
Binding Thebeft Maftick 
is of a light Colour, clear 
and tranfparent , fweet- 
fcented and friable. ’Tis 
lorn etimes adulterated with 
Refin of the Pine-tree, and 
with Frankincenfe ; but the 
Cheat may eafily be difco- 
ver’d by the Smell. 
ftecljoacana* it take? 
its Name from an Ifland in 
New-Spain , call'd Mecboa- 
cnn. It purges Flegmatick 
and Watery Humours from 
all parts of the Body, elpe- 
cially from the Head, 
Nerves and Breaft. 'Tis 
good for old Coughs, the 
Cholick , and the French- 
Pox. *Tis taken moft com- 
monly in fubftance, being 
powder’d, and taken in a 
proper Liquor, efpecially 
in Wine. It is not given in 
a Deception, becaufeichas 
been found by Experience,; 
that boiling deftroys the 
Virtue of it. The Dofe is, 
from half a Dram to two 
Drams. 'Tis corrected by 
adding a third part of Cin- 
namon, Ann ife, or Maftick. 
'Tis belt when it is frefli. 
whitilh within, and of an 
Afh-colour without. 
is very 
hot and acrid ; being chew- 
ed in the Mouth, it burns 
the Jawsand Throat: But 
it purges Choler ftrongly, 
being corrected by infufing 
it twenty four Hours in 
Vinegar. Some correct it 
by infufing it in Wine, and 
drying it again. But the 
Leaves, Bark, or Berries, 
howfoever they are pre* 
par’d and corrected , are 
feldom ufed, by reafon of 
their Malignity : Nor, in- 
deed , ought they to be 
ufed, but in defperate Ca- 
fes, or for want of fafer 
Medicines. 
^pjobalaneg, in Latin 
Myrobalani. There are five 
Sorts of them, which are 
comprehended in the fol- 
lowing Dyftich. 
Myrobalanortm 
