THE Houette, or Dog's-Wort Cotton, is a Kind of Cotton from the Husk, which grows upon a Plant which the Botanists call Apocynum Cynocrambe, which signifies Dog's-Cabbage, or Dog's-Wort, which is represented in the Print of Cotton; this grows plentifully near Alexandria in Egypt, especially in moist and marshy Grounds, from whence we have what is now sold amongst us. This has no other Use than to line the Robes of Persons of Quality.
Apocynum AEgyptiacum lactescens, siliqua Asclepiadis C. Bauhinus, vel Apocynum Syriacum, seu Palaestinum, five AEgyptiacum, the Syrian, Palestine or AEgyptian Dog's-Wort; Apocynum AEgyptiacum floribus Spicatis, Tournefort, AEgyptian Dog-Wort with Spike Flowers; and by some Esula Indica, or the Indian Spurge. This is a Plant which grows in the nature of a little Shrub, with straight Rods, or Shoots, of about three Foot high, whose Leaves are long, large and thick as those of Aloes, set against the Stalks, white and full of the same Liquor with the other Parts of the Plant; to wit, with a white Juice like Milk, that is acrid and bitter. The Flowers grow at the tops of the Branches in the nature of an Ear, Bell-fashion'd, indented, and yellow. When the Flowers are gone, a Fruit succeeds as thick as one's Fist, oblong like a large Sheath or Case, which hang two and two upon a hard crooked Stalk. The Fruit is call'd, in AEgypt, Beidelsax, and is cover'd with two Rinds or Barks: The first, or outermost of which, is a green membranous one; the second resembles a thin Skin that has been dress'd or smooth'd, of a Saffron Colour. This Rind contains a stringy or fibrous Matter, like the Moss of a Tree, with which all the Fruit is full, in the nature of a fine Cotton; that is very soft and white, which is call'd Houatte, or Houette. They find in this Cotton Seeds made like those of Pumkins, but a Part less, reddish, full of a whitish Pulp, and of a bitter Taste. The Root is long, strong, surrounded with Fibres. This Plant is beautiful to the Eye. The Stalk and Leaves are cover'd with a sort of Wool, and are full of Milk. It grows in AEgypt about Alexandria. The Leaves being stamp'd and apply'd as a Cataplasm, are reckon'd proper to resolve cold Tumours. The Juice makes the Hair come off, and is a Remedy for cutaneous Cases used externally: But it is also Poison given inwardly; for it purges with that Sharpness and Violence, that it causes mortal Bloody-Fluxes.