THE Coralline, or Sea-Moss, is what is gathered from Rocks, or Shells, in the Sea, to which it is apt to cling; there are several Sorts of it to be met withal; but that which is used in Physick comes from Bastion in France, and other Parts of the Mediterranean, which is only what is in Practice. C. Bauhinus calls it, Muscus Coralloides Squamulis loricatus.
This Moss or Coralline, is of some small Account in Medicine, as it is pretended to have a Quality to destroy the Worms: As to the Choice, it ought to be greenish, and the most free of Dirt and Fifth that can be got.
Corallium, Lithodendrum, or Coral, is a stony Plant, that is sound growing to Rocks, at the Bottom of the Sea, and crusted over in the Nature of Stone. The chief of what is sold comes from several Parts of the Mediterranean. There are three Sorts of it, red, white, and black.
The Corallium Rubrum, or red Coral of C. Baubinus, grows commonly three or four fingers high, but such Corals as are found of any considerable Length, are kept in the Cabinets of the curious; it bears several Branches without Leaves, that are very hard, smooth, shining, and of a fine red; the Root is rocky, and of the same Hardness: This Coral is the most used and esteemed in Physick; chuse such as is all of a Piece, polish'd, shining, and of the highest Colour.
The second Sort is white Coral that grows much about the same Height. There are two Kinds of this, one call'd Corallium Album, Oculatum, which is a little stony Plant as the former, the Ends of whose Branches are round, and represent, in a Manner, little Eyes. The other is call'd Corallium Asperum, the rugged Coral; this is a little strong Shrub, about a Hand high, that is ramose, rough, white, full of Pores, or little Holes, and much lighter than the former; this last grows not only in the Mediterranean but in the red Sea, and is of small Account in Physick.
The third Kind of Coral is call'd by C. Baubinus, Corallium extra rubens intus nigrum, or red Coral without and black within, but this is very scarce; and there is substituted in its stead a false black Coral, call'd Antipathes, which is a stony Sea-Plant, which is usually cover'd in the Sea with a Sort of Bark or tartarous Crust, of the same Colour. When they are young and tender, the Ends of their Branches are found divided into little Balls, of the Size of a small Gooseberry, that are soft, and distinguish'd usually into six little Cells, full of a milky Liquor, that is of an acrid styptick Taste, and these are call'd Coral Flowers.
Others say, that Coral, while under Water, is green and soft, but when it once comes into the open Air, it changeth both its Colour and its Nature, and from its Greenness becomes of a very delightful beautiful Red, and from its Softness, of a compacted Firmness, that is hard and durable. It springs up naturally, resembling a Plant or Shrub, adorn'd with many pretty Branches. The red is best, and of that the reddest, the palest being of less Use; but in Medicines a small Sprig Sort is taken for Cheapness. The white is next in Goodness; the best of which is that which is pure, white, and clear, almost transparent, free from Dross, and something resembling white Wax. The black is not valued, yet the greatest Rarity of them all. It is observable, that red Coral, infus'd two or three Days in white Wax, melted upon hot Embers, and poured an Inch over it, loses its Colour, and the Wax becomes yellow. Fresh red Coral put into the same Wax, in the same manner, becomes brown; and fresh red Coral put in like manner into the same Wax the third Time, makes the Wax become red; for the Wax dissolves, and draws forth Part of the red sulphureous Particles lying on the Surface of the Coral.
Coral is prepared by levigating it on a Marble into a fine subtile Powder. It is cooling, drying, and binding; strengthens, the Heart, Stomach and Liver, absorbs Acidities, purifies the Blood, resists the Plague, and the Force of putrid and malignant Fevers; stops Fluxes of the Belly, and is profitable in the Gonorrhoea and Whites. It is said to prevent the Epilepsy in Children, being first given in the Mother's Milk as soon as the Child is born. It stops bleeding, helps in Difficulty of Urine, and is prevalent against the Stone in the Bladder, and the bloody Flux. Dose from a Scruple to a Dram, in any proper Liquor. Outwardly it helps Ulcers, filling them with Flesh, and cicatrizing; in Collyries it helps the Eye-Sight, stops the Weeping of the Eyes, and absorbs the watery sharp Humours.
Of this there is a Tincture made with Spirit of Vinegar, or Juice of Lemons, and from thence a Syrup, Magistery, and Salt prepared; but they are all forced unnatural Preparations. And crude Coral, reduced to such an impalpable Powder, as aforesaid, is far superior to all the other Preparations of it.
Corallina, call'd Coralline, or hard Sea-Moss, is of several Kinds. That which we now use in Physick, is call'd Muscus Marinus, five Corallina Officinarum, Sea-Moss, or the Coralline of the Shops. This is a little bushy Plant, which grows about three Fingers high, bearing a great many little Stalks, that are as fine and slender as a Hair, stony, and furnish'd with very little Leaves, of an ash-colour'd green, and a fishy Smell, the Taste being salt and disagreeable, cracking or crackling betwixt the Teeth like small Stones, and being subject easily to be bruised betwixt the Fingers. Chuse such as is whole, clear, of a whitish green Colour, and very strong Smell. It yields a good deal of Salt and Oil. It is proper to kill Worms, suppress Vapours, provoke Womens Courses, and stop Fluxes of the Belly. Dose, in fine Powder, from half a Dram to a Dram.
The Coralloides is a Plant that is but petrified in Part, having the Appearance of a little Shrub, but without Leaves. There are several sorts of it, which vary in Size, Shape, Hardness, and Colour. They are all usually astringent as to Passage by Stool, and aperitive by Urine, but of no great vogue in Physick. It is call'd Coralloides, as being something like Coral in Figure and Hardness.
Other Authors say the Coralline is a hard stony Moss, growing usually on Rocks, in or near the Sea, rising either from the Stones thereof, or from the Shells of Scallops, Oysters, and the like. It grows scarce a Hand high, spreading forth several small Branches, like a green Herb, with many small short Leaves like Hairs. It is gather'd on all the Western Coasts, and the Northern Parts of Europe, and is found growing in little white Threads, fasten'd to the Rock or Shell it springs from, as Moss to a Tree; and if good, is very white, in little Strings, like the Unravelling of coarse Linen Cloth, some an Inch long, some shorter, some longer, of an unpleasant Taste and Smell.