The Description.

            1. Coloquintida hath been taken of many to be a kind of the wild Gourd, it lieth along creeping on the ground as do the Cucumbers and Melons, coming nearest of all to that which in those days of some herbarists is called Citrul Cucumber: it bringeth forth upon his long branches small crooked tendrils like the Vine, and also very great broad leaves deeply cut or jagged: among which come forth small flowers of a pale yellow colour; then cometh the fruit round as a bowl covered with a thin rind, of a yellow colour when it is ripe, which when it is peeled or pared off, the white pulp or spongy substance appeareth full of seeds, of a white or else an overworn brown colour; the fruit so pared or peeled, is dried for medicine; the which is most extreme bitter, and likewise the seed, and the whole plant itself in all his parts.

            2. The second kind of Coloquintida hath likewise many long branches and clasping tendrils, wherewith it taketh hold of such things as are near unto it. It bringeth forth the like leaves, but not so much jagged. The flowers are small and yellow: the fruit is fashioned like a pear, and the other sort round, wherein the especial difference consisteth.

The Place.

            Coloquintida is sown and cometh to perfection in hot regions, but seldom or never in these Northerly and cold countries.

The Time.

            It is sown in the spring, and bringeth his fruit to perfection in August.

            It hath been divers times delivered unto me for a truth, that they do grow in the sands of the Mediterranean sea shore, or very near unto it, wild, for every man to gather that list, especially on the coast of Barbary, as also without the mouth of the Straights near to Santa Cruz and other places adjacent; from whence divers surgeons of London that have travelled thither for the curing of sick and hurt men in the ship have brought great quantities thereof at their return.

The Names.

            It is vulgarly called Coloquintida: the Latin translators for Colocynthis do oftentimes set down Cucurbita sylvestris: notwithstanding there is a Cucurbita sylvestris that differeth from Colocynthis, or Coloquintida: for Cucurbita sylvestris is called in Greek kolokyntha agria, or wild Coloquintida, whereof shall be set forth a peculiar chapter next after the Cucurbita or Gourd: in English it is called Coloquintida, or Apple of Coloquintida.

The Temperature.

            Coloquintida as it is in his whole nature and in all his parts bitter, so is it likewise hot and dry in the latter end of the second degree; and therefore it purgeth, cleanseth, openeth and performeth all those things that most bitter things do: but that the strong quality which it hath to purge by the stool, is, as Galen saith, of more force than the rest of his operations.

The Virtues.

            A. Which operation of purging it worketh so violently, that it doth not only draw forth phlegm and choler marvellous speedily, and in very great quantity: but oftentimes fetcheth forth blood and bloody excrements, by shaving the guts, and opening the ends of the mesaraical veins.

            B. So that therefore the same is not to be used either rashly, or without some dangerous and extreme disease constrain thereunto: neither yet at all, unless some tough and clammy thing be mixed therewith, whereby the vehemency thereof may be repressed, the hurtful force dulled, and the same speedily passing through the belly, the guts be not fret or shaved. Mesues teacheth to mix with it either Mastic, or gum Tragacanth.

            C. There be made of it trochisks, or little flat cakes with Mastic, gum Arabic, Tragacanth and Bdellium, of these, Mastic hath a manifest binding quality: but tough and clammy things are much better, which have no astriction at all in them, or very little.

            D. For by such binding or astringent things violent medicines being restrained and bridled, do afterward work their operation with more violence and trouble: but such as have not binding things mixed with them do easier work, and with lesser pain, as be those pills which Rhasis in his ninth book of Almanzor calleth illiacæ: which are compounded of Coloquintida and Scammony, two of the strongest medicines that are; and of a third called gum Sagapene, which through his clamminess doth as it were daub the entrails and guts, and defend them from the harm that might have some of either of them.

            E. The which composition, although it be wonderful strong, and not to be used without very great necessity urge thereunto, doth notwithstanding easily purge, and without any great trouble, and with lesser torment than most of the mildest and gentlest medicines which have Mastic and other things mixed with them that are astringent.

            F. And for this cause it is very like that Galen in his first book of Medicines, according to the places affected, would not suffer Mastic and Bdellium to be in the pills, which are surnamed cochiæ: the which notwithstanding his schoolmaster Quintus was also wont before to add unto the same.

            G. But Coloquintida is not only good for purgations in which it is a remedy for the dizziness or the turning sickness, the megrim, continual headache, the apoplexy, the falling sickness, the stuffing of the lungs, the gnawings and gripings of the guts and entrails, and other most dangerous diseases, but also it doth outwardly work his operations, which are not altogether to be rejected.

            H. Common oil wherein the same is boiled, is good against the singing in the ears, and deafness: the same killeth and driveth forth all manner of worms of the belly, and doth oftentimes provoke to the stool, if the navel and bottom of the belly be therewith anointed.

            J. Being boiled in vinegar, and the teeth washed therewith, it is a remedy for the toothache, as Mesues teacheth.

            K. The seed is very profitable to keep and preserve dead bodies with; especially if Aloes and Myrrh be mixed with it.

            L. The white pulp or spongeous pith taken in the weight of a scruple openeth the belly mightily, and purgeth gross phlegm, and choleric humours.

            M. It hath the like force if it be boiled and laid to infuse in wine or ale, and given to drink.

            N. Being taken after the same manner it profiteth the diseases before remembered, that is, the apoplexy, falling sickness, giddiness of the head, the colic, looseness of sinews, and places out of joint, and all diseases proceeding of cold.

            O. For the same purposes it may be used in clysters.

            P. The same boiled in oil, and applied with cotton or wool, taketh away the pain of the haemorrhoids.

            Q. The decoction made in wine, and used as a fomentation or bath, bringeth down the desired sickness.