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Show COWHAGE. tain that colour (which is generally looked on ‘as the criterion of its being properly prepared) the boiling must be continued longer; for in a strong decoction only theefficacylies. The taste of this decoction is not unpalatable, nor is it from any bitterness that the bark derives its efficacy, as some have imagined; but froma specific quality, powerfully noxious to all kinds of worms bred in the human body. The dose to children is from a table-spoonful to a small wine glass full. Adults of a strong constitution may venture on a large wine glass full. Of this decoction a dose proportionable to the age and constitution of the patient is to be given, either simply, or sweetened with honey, sugar, or molasses, for three or four mornings successively. A dose of some medicine of the purgative kind should be then interposed ; such as jalap, rhubarb, sal. glaub., or what isstill better, as more immediately answering the intention, an ounce of oleumricini. Besides the decoction, this bark has been foundefficacious when takenin substance finely powdered. From five grains to a scruple may with safety be ventured on, and even further: combined with jalap, it operates with greater certainty of suc« cess than whenexhibited by itself. The ill success of this bark in some cases (continues Mr. Chamberlaine) induced me to make some inquiry concerning 4 medicine which I had heard of, as being successfully given, in many parts, to all patients afflicted with complaints arising, or supposed to arise, from worms; and that, not only byregular practitioners, but even by ignorant negroes, at random, and without anyjust proportion in the dose. This was the Stizolobium, or cowhage. Satisfied, as I said before, of the general efficacy of the cabbage tree bark, I had never given myself the trouble to make inquiry about any other more powerful yermifuge; nor did I think that there could be one more powerful, until the death of a negro girl, evidently occasioned, as appeared upon myopening her, from vast numbers of worms lodged in the small intes- COWHAGE. 639 The substance which is knownby this name is the rigid, hairy coat, somewhat in appearance similar to the pile of velvet, or rather plush, of a reddish brown colour, which grows on, or clothes the surface of a pod, in appearance like the pod of our Kuglish scarlet bean, to which plant, indeed, the whole of the cowhage vine, both in its foliage and manner of growth, bears a very near resemblance. ‘This hair, or pile, scraped off and mixed in some viscid vehicle, is the part to be employed. The rest of the plant is useless. But the different modes of exhibiting the cowhage were as various as the persons who took upon them that office. One administered it in molasses. Castoroil was the favourite vehicle ofa second; anda third insisted that it was of no service unless mixed with honey. The greater number agreed in giving molasses the preference ; but there was even among these a considerable disagreement with regard to the proportions to be observed in the mixture. While some cautiously put but two pods of the cowhage into a quart of molasses, others boldly stirred up two dozen in a like quan. tity. Some again would have six pods to be sufficient; and others imagined that some secret virtue, or charm, was to be expected from having the number neither greater nor less, than exactly nine, By some, the sete contained on the outside of a single pod, mixed with one or two table-spoonsful of syrup, honey, or molasses, was given for a single dose, without distinction, to young and old, By others, a quantity of each ingredient was mixed together, without bearing any exact proportion to each other further than was merelysufficient to bring the composition to the consistence of an electuary ; and one, two, or three teaspoonsful given as a dose to children, and one, and sometimes two table-spoonsful to adults. I considered that the wonderful efficacy so generally attri. buted to cowhage, could not be supposedto arise from any spe- tines, convinced me that I had not done myduty, and excited cific medicinal quality residing in it, so much as from the sharphess and elasticity of the sete, with which the pods are covered, Which take the same effect on wormsas they do when soonas me to push myinquiries in search of a moreefficacious medicine ‘0 our skin ; the setz piercing, vellicating, and tormenting them still further. I had heard so much of the cowhage, or cowitch, that I re- like so many needles, as may beplainly demonstrated by view- solved to maketrial of it. in such a manner as obliges them to let go their hold; acting ing the sete through a microscope; which shows them to be a |