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 ~ ■ ( t5 ) of this drug, which fecms to depend entirely upon the purity of the concrete. The ,fmell of Scammony is rather unpleafant, and the tafte bitterifh and flightly acrid. The different proportions of gum and refin of which it confifts, have been varioufly ftated, but as proof fpirit is the beft menftruum for it, thefe fubftances are fuppofed to be nearly in equal parts. Scammony appears to have -been well known to the Greek and Arabian phyficians, ‘‘ and was not only employed internally as a purgative, but alfo as an external remedy for tumours, fcabies, tinea, fixed pains, &c. — Although this drug was feldom given alone, yet we find it was very generally ufed, and an ingredient in many ^ compounds which were formerly held in very great repute. — Hoffman, however, entertained an opinion, that Scammony was a dangerous medicine ; “ Ego nunquam in praxi mea in ufu habui, “ nec in pbfterum h'abebo ; me femper ab ifliufmodi venenis “ colliquativis abftinens. iu Schrod. p. 543.” But fince Boer- haave’s time it has been confidered as a fafe though ftimulating cathartic, and frequently prefcribed uncombined with any other fiibftance, yet neither producing tormina nor hypercatharfis. Like other refmous purgatives it is uncertain in its operation, which may be occafioned by the inteftines being more or lefs defended from the adtion of thefe flimulants, by the quantity of natural mucus with which they are covped. t I .* Boulduc Mem de I’Ac. de Sc. 1702. Geoffrey Mat. Med. ^ Hippocrates, Diofeorides, Aetius, Mefue, See. Extract, diagridii aromaticum. Extraft. fcam glycyrrhizatum. Elixir Scammon. Scam, vitriolatum, Scam fulphuratum, Scam, rofatum, Infufum fcammonii, Diacydonium lucidum fcammoniatum. Gelatina cydoniorum laxativa, &c. ^ Among thefe were the Pulvis de Tribus, or Pulvis trium Diabolorum, Pulvis Bafilicus, Pulvis Comitis de Warwick, which was afterwards called Pulvis Cornachini, becaufe Marcus Cornachini, profeffor of medicine at Pifa, recommended it as a panacea, in a book, the title of which is, “ M.ethodus qua omnes humani corpor is appeSiioncs ab “ humoribus copid aut qualiiate peccantibus genitcei tuto^ citOy t!t jucund€'curaniur.' The
 * As Diagrydium. Scam defoecatum per fuccum citroniorum. Extrailum fpt vln.r