Adam in Eden, or, Natures paradise the history of plants, fruits, herbs and flowers with their several names ... the places where they grow, their descriptions and kinds, their times of flourishing and decreasing as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations and particular physical vertues together with necessary observations on the seasons of planting and gathering of our English simples with directions how to preserve them in their compositions or otherwise : ... there is annexed a Latin and English table of the several names of simples, with another more particular table of the diseases and their cures ... / by William Coles ...

CHAP. CCXVI. Of Goates Thorne.

The Names.

IT is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Tragacantha, from the sharp form of the bush, whose thornes as it groweth do represent a Goates beard. It may be called in Latin Spina Hirci, but it is known better by the name of Tragacantha, which name also is given to the Gum which is gathered from the roots being cut or broken in the heat of Summer. The Apothecaries call it Gummi Tragacan∣thae, in Latin; and Gum Dragant in English. There is a kind hereof called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek, because it joyes in places where water is, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it is profitable to the Nerves or Sinews.

The Kinds.

Bauhinus hath made five sorts of Goates Throne, adding Pimpinella Spinosa, or Thorny Burnet for one which doth not properly belong to this kind, and therefore I shall set down but four, 1. The true Goates-thorn, 2. Poterion, or the small Goats-Thorne, 3. The yellow Syrian Goats-Thorne, 4. Purple Sy∣rian Goats-Thorne,

The Forme.

The true Goates thorne is a small bushy plant, rising up with many tough woody stemmes not much above a cubit or two-foot high, divided into many slender branches covered with hoarinesse, set with divers long white thornes in a double row, amongst which rise up divers Leaves which being small long, and round, like unto a little wing are set over against one another on each side of a middle rib, abiding all the Winter, yet falling off at such times as the Spring doth bring fresh ones. At the tops of the branches, amongst the Leaves come forth the Flowers, which are of a whitish yellow colour fashioned somewhat like unto the Flowers of a Trefoile, after which come small short upright white Cods wherein are con∣tained small whitish cornered seed. The root is very great and long, spreading much and farr in the ground, which being broken or wounded with some Iron toole yeildeth a certain liquor, which by the heat of the sun is presently turned into a tough pure shinning white gum, shrivelling up it self into small crooked peices, tasting somewhat sweet.

The Places and Time.

Though the two first grow in Candy and about Marselles, and Mompelier in France and the two latter in Syria, yet the Gum, that we are to make use of, is to be had at every Apothecaries shop. In their naturall places they flower and seed in the beginning of Autumne, but with us they do neither, being very choise and tender to keep.

The Temperature.

Gum Dragant which is that part of the plant which is easiest to be come by in England, hath an Emplastick or daubing quality, by reason whereof it dulleth or allayeth the sharpnesse of the humors, and doth also somewhat dry.

The Vertues.

Besides March Mallows, the Gumme of the Goates thorne called Tragacantha or Gum Dragagant is also good against the fretting of the Urine either in Reines or Bladder or any other of those cleansing Medicines, which are given to provoke it; a dram thereof being dissolved in sweet wine and drunk, especially if some Harts-horne burnt and washed; and a little of the best Allom be mixed therewith, and so it is available for the growing paines in the Guts and bowels also. It is likewise when it is dissolved often mix∣ed with pectorall Syrupes honey, or juyce of Liquorish to help the Cough or Hoar∣nesse in the Throat, salt and sharp distillations upon the Lungs, being taken is an Electuary, or put under the tongue gently to distill down, and so it taketh away the roughnesse of the tongue, which happeneth in many diseases. The said Gum is also used in Medicines for the Eyes, to allay the heat and sharpnesse of hot rheumes falling into them: and being mingled with milk, it taketh away white spots growing in the black of the Eyes, the itching also of them, and whe••••es and scabs that grow upon the Eye-Lids. Being somewhat torrefied or dryed •••• the ••••re; and mixed with the juce or Wine of Quinces, and used in a G〈…〉〈…〉er it is good a∣gainst the bloody Flix; Being boyled in Wine with Stechads and drunk, it warm∣eth and cleanseth the breast and Stomack & bowels being afflicted with any cold, the Cholick the stopping of the Milt and Urine. It cleanseth the face and maketh it white if it be steeped a night in Rose water, and in the morning, a little Borace or Champhire be put thereto, and the face be washed therewith. It is very effectuall for the sores and chaps of the Mouth, Lips and Hands and also for Ulcers in any part being dissolved in Rose water, strained, some white starch mixed therewith, and the place annointed; the Muccilage mixed with Honey doth the same, and is good for the Leprosy. The powder of it, is profitable for those that have broken a veine or are troubled with the Cra••p, if it be taken in broth. Besides these Physicall uses it serveth to make artificiall beads of which Bracletts are compo••ed, and it is used many times as a kind of Starch or Glew to bind or stiffen things withall, and to make Gentlewomens haire lye in order. The roots of the Poterion boyled in Wine and drunk are profitable against the poyson of the red Toad, and being made in a Pultis and applyed to any of the Nerves or Sinews that are wounded, cut, or hurt, doth heale them and so••••er them together, are also all other kinds of Wounds and Cutts; the said decoction of the Roots in Wine a also effectuall for the said purposes to be drunk, and for inward Wounds or Veines that are broken. Gum Arabick is effectuall for many of the purposes aforesaid but especially for defending the Reines and Bladder from those frettings that cause bloody Urine.