Prunus, _the Plum_; its fruit loosens the belly, if fresh, in a greater degree, or if dried, in a smaller. The decoction of it in gargles, cures inflammations about the uvula. The gum of the tree has the powers of an incisive and attenuate substance, so that some relate that when drunk with wine it proves lithontriptic. With vinegar it is said to cure the lichen of children. The fruit of the wild plums is manifestly astringent, and constipates the belly. This plant in Asia is called _Prumnum_. The dried garden plums, now called damascenes, appear to be similar, as Galen says. * * * * * COMMENTARY. Without doubt it is the _Prunus insiticia_ or _Bullace tree_, a well known species of plum. The _Damask-plums_ are much celebrated by ancient authors. We have treated of plums as an article of food in the First Book. Pliny and Marcellus Empiricus recommend them particularly in diseases of the tonsils and gums; but, indeed, all the ancient authorities prescribe them as astringents in such cases. There is a slight difference of opinion between Dioscorides and Galen regarding the virtues of the plum. Dioscorides says, “the fruit is esculent, but bad for the stomach, and loosens the bowels. But the dried fruit of the Syrian plums, and more especially those which grow about Damascus (damascenes?), are stomachic and astringent of the bowels.” Galen says, “the fruit of the plum tree loosens the bowels, the fresh in a greater degree and the dried in a less. I know not how it is that Dioscorides says that the dried damask-plums bind the bowels, for even these manifestly loosen, but in a less degree than the Spanish; for the damask are more astringent, and the Spanish more sweet, &c.” (De Simpl. vii.) This slight difference created a keen controversy in modern times between Brasavolus, who impugns, and Matthiolus, who defends the strictures of Galen. To us it appears that the only mistake committed by Dioscorides consists in stating his views too succinctly. He, no doubt, never meant to deny that the damask-plums have a certain purgative faculty mixed up with astringency, like plums in general. Galen’s language is more precise, but we do not see that there is much real difference between his views and those of Dioscorides. The Arabians gravely state this mighty controversy between the two ancient sages, but scarcely pretend “tantas componere lites.” See Rhases (Cont. l. ult. i, 565); Avicenna (ii, 2, 532); and Serapion (c. 139.) One of Rhases’s authorities says of plums, that they moisten the stomach and loosen the belly, purging yellow bile. Another of them, named Chuz, says the water of them is emmenagogue, and their gum, mixed with sugar, cures impetigo. Avicenna quotes this opinion with approbation. All agree that they are lithontriptic. Κόλλα, Gluten, _Glue_; that prepared from the similago and pollen is of an emplastic and digestive nature. * * * * *