Historia vegetabilium sacra, or, A Scripture herbal wherein all the trees, shrubs, herbs, plants, flowers, fruits &c. mentioned in the Holy Bible, are in an alphabetical order, rationally discoursed of ... / by W. Westmacott.

Gourds. Wild Gourd. 2 K. 4. 39. Jon. 4. 6, 10.

N. K. D. P. Colocynthidum agrestium▪ Rici••um. Jun & Tr. Ʋulg Cucurbita, Gourds are of the Cucumer-Family, of which see more under that Plant. They are raised in the Gardens, as Cu∣cumers are, in these cold Regions: But the wild bit∣ter Gourd groweth in pain, Italy, Aegypt, and other hot Countries, and its Fruit or Gourd called Colocyn∣this, or Coloquintida, is brought us only for its Me∣dical use.

Virtues and Ʋses.

This Coloquintida, or bitter Apple, as the Vulgar call it, is extreamly bitter, as he that powders it can well tell, being hot and dry in the third Degree, it purges violently Phlegm and other viscous hu∣mours; it consists of a volatile subtil dangerous Salt, which procure strong Colliquations, and Corrosions of the Ventricle and Guts, by Hyper-Catharsis, or over-purgings.

Yet nothi•••• more frequent among the Country-People, than a pennyworth or two of bitter Apple, to purge them, accounting that the best Physick, (poor ignorant Creatures) which gives the most

Stools, but it hath purged many into their Graves, and others into languishing Diseas••s, to my know∣ledge; Decemb. 1st 1674. I was sent for to a Coun∣try-man in Salt near Hopton-Heath, who was swell'd like a Barrel, upon the taking of this pernicious Apple, given him by his Wife, which could never be brought to work upward nor downward, but in few hours it killed him; more ill accidents, and mortifical effects of a later date, occasioned by this corrosive and wild Fruit, I could here denote; but where, or by whom committed and suffered, ex∣cept I had the consent of them, to whom I profess to owe much respect for their (since) Kindness and Favours, the Reader must excuse me; and remem∣ber the old saying, Foelix quem—happy is he, whom other Mens failings and dangers do make to beware.

But tho' this Fruit be so exceeding perilous in the Apple it self, and but little better in the Troc••-Alhandle, as they are commonly prepared, yet ex∣ceeding useful and safe is the Cathartick Extract there∣of, made with distilled Vinegar, impregnated with Sal Tartari Sennerti, which Menstruum fixeth in a great manner, the malignant volatility, which pre∣dominates in this Fruit, whereas Spirit of Wine (which is the usual Menstruum) doth rarefie and sub∣tilize its volatile Sulphurous Salt, carrying it into the very Veins and Arteries, whence it attracts the best defecated and Spirituous Blood.

Also some, as I have often with good effect, ad∣vise the infusion of this Fruit in the Urine of a healthful young Man, all night or longer, according to Riverius, before it is used▪ and Dr. Grew saith, The great Cathartic•• power of Colocynthis lieth not so in an Alcaly, as an Acid, therefore the best corre∣••ors, or refractors of the force of this purging fruit, are some kind of Alkalies, as particularly that of Urine.

In the Shops. Coloquintida. Trochisci Athandle. Pil∣ex duobus. The Troches are prepared by some ••••••∣thecaries (different from the Dispensatory) by three pulverizations, as often beating it up when dried, with the same Menstruum of Vinegar above-said; without the pretended Correction of it by the ad∣dition of Aromatical substances, and Gum Traga∣canth, which Troches certainly are the safest and best, and most fit to prepare the highly renowned Cathar∣tick Tincture, which is judged to be Rullandus his Spir. vitae deauratus.

The Pil. ex duobus required to be refined, and more elaborately prepared, by the noble Art of the Pharmaco-Chymist. These Medicines are like Swords, not to be trusted in Mad-Mens hands, but require the management of a discerning and expert Artist, therefore I'll leave their further Virtues, Uses and Doses, to such an one.