Book III OF SVPHILIS 277

tors have recourse at once to applying unguents made of caustics,
and in former times they used this method mainly. But in my
opinion it is better to try first the milder remedies that are less
drastic and involve no risk, and certain doctors who have fol—
lowed this method have often had good results. After the
purgations, they administer certain aromatic drugs that not
only dry and deterge, but also subtilize and fortify; for example,
aromatic calamus, macer, agalochus, cassia, zedoary, ginger,
schinanth, iris and so forth, of which, & decoction seems to be
wonderfully efficacious. Some have cured many patients by
means of juniper wood alone; others by cypress or citron wood
alone. They use a powder of these in the same way as that of
guaiaec.!57 i

I must now say something about guaiae, because of all reme—
dies this is in most general use. 'This tree is imported to us
from the so—called Spanish Island (Hayti) in the New World,
and the neighboring islands where this malady is especially
familiar. But the best kind comes from the island called
Beata.'58 'This wood has been imported in many different
forms, and these should be noted. At first, large, thick tree
trunks used to be brought over; they were very old and con—
tained very little white, but much dark, wood. Nowadays
it is the boughs that are usually imported, freshly ceut, and they
contain much white, but little dark wood; they are far more
bitter and more styptic. 'The older wood is sharp rather than
bitter or astringent, and more resinous too. Formerly, they
used to throw away the outer bark, but it is now used by pref—
erence, and even costs more than the other wood. 'This tree
seems to be peculiarly suited to furnish all that is required for
this disease. For it is composed of the very finest particles,
and these are warm to the third degree'5? and very dry too;
and it is resinous, hence it has in every way the greatest possible
drying power, i. e. by its heat, its essential dryness, and also
by its absorbency.  It is also sudorific, and can volatilise, lique—
fy and absterge the substance of the contagion; finally, since
it is resinous too, it offers great resistance to putrefaection and
contagion. It seems to have a certain medicinal property
also, so that it moves the bowels. But it must be noted that
the old wood, since it is sharper, has greater power to dissolve,
liquefy and volatilise than the new.  'Therefore, when the sub—
stance is thicker and there are many gummata, you should by