'^"S^..

">^-*-^

J^

75-26

BY
A.
^^TtA yjiJLi .0 aXc^
.<>
^
.

M-rre^'r,/

__

-j^ C f^^^jb^AT

6'

9.

Deposited by the
IN

BOSTON ATHENAEUM

THE LIBRARY OF THE

itifiratp
31li0?^ociation,

25o^ton

lai^etiical

BY AUTHORITY OF THE TRUSTEES.

(i/

\, ^

:sLjc^^^
Librarian.

(CATALOGUE
OP

Indian medicinal

^O

<.'

WITH THEIR NAMES

7

IN

THE

iDmlrttStani anfi g^unscrit HangiiagrS*

BY JOHK FLEMIKQ,

M: D.

SURGEON ON THE BENGAL ESTABLISH3IENT.

Calcutta
C

Printed at the Hindustani press^

BY
A. H.

HUBBARD.

1810

inil

JLiiis Catalogue forms an

article in the

Wth
now

Volume of

the Asiatick Researches,

hut is

printed separate^ (with emendations and some additions) for the convenience
chiefiy it

of those for whose use

the As.

was

contpiled,

to

many of whom

Res.

may

not he accessible.

"ft

EHHATA,
Page.
lAnc,
..
.

for
.. .powfii",
. .

rend

18.

.15.
.

powder.
Christie.
tall.

20.

15.

.Cristie,
small,
.

26

33 .... 1 6 ... Hindu,

Indian.

59 ... 64

Autenncs,
33d.

Antenna^
53d.

Wi^tvti&mtnt

A HE

following catalogue

is

intended chiefly for

the use of gentlemen of the medical prafession on

their first arrival in Indian to
sirable to

whom it must

be de-

know what

articles of the

Materia Medi-

ca this country affords^ and by what names they

may

find them.

The

systematic names of the plants are taken

from WiLLDENow's edition of the Species Planta-

rum

L. with the exception of some

new

species^

not included in that work, which have been ar-

ranged in the system, and described by Dr.

Rox-

burgh

who, with

his usual liberality, permitted

me

to transcribe their specific characters

his manuscript.

and trivial

names from

In ascertaining and fixing the Hindustani and

iSrtwscnf

names which correspond

to the systematiCy

a point of considerable difHculty, but essential for the purpose of this catalogue, I have been greatly

^
assisted

ADYERYISEMENT.

by Mr. Colebrooke, on whose thoroiigK

acquaintance with oriental literature, as well as his

kno-?^'iedge in botany,

knew

that I could confi-

dently rely.

The
sed in

Hindustdiii and Sanscrit words are expres-

Roman

characters,

conformably to the sys-by

Sir

tem of

flotation

recommended

William
in that

Jones; but as many prefer, for the Hindustdniy

the system of Mr. Gilchrist, the names

language are printed according

at the

to his orthography,

bottom of the page.

virtues and uses of such medicinal plants
as are already well
it

For the
and drugs

known

in

Europe,

have judged

sufficient to refer to the

two

latest

and best works on the Materia Medica, Murray's

''

Apparatus Medicaminum/'* and Woodville's

'^

Medical Botany/'f

Of

the qualities of those

in this

articles

which are known only

is

country, some

account

now

ofllered
it is

which, however brief and

imperfect, will,

hoped, have at least the effect

of promoting further inquiry.

A^pafatus Medicarrtinum &c.

Auctore ^o.

Andkea Murray.
4 vols. 4to.

Tom. VI.

8. Gotiing. 1790.
Sic.

+ Medical Botany
Lond. 1794,

By William Woodvillb, M. D.

1^

I*

MEJDICIMAJL rJLAMTS

ui^RUs PRtCATORius. (W.) Gutichdi^) H. Gunjd

S.

The

Seed.

Rettii^)

H. Racticd

5.

X HE root of this

plant,

when

dried, coincides

very exactly, in appearance and medicinal qualities,

with the liquorice root, and

the bazars.
see G!,.,rrM.a Glabra

is

often sold for

it

in

\^Z:Z'lnL4SS
among
tile

The

lowest weight in use

its

Hindis

druggists takes

denomination of Betii from the

i

seed of the Giinjdy though the fictitious weight

nearly double that of the seed.

Sir

William
trials,

Jones found, from the average of numerous

the weight of one Gunjd seed to be a grain and

five sixteenths.

The

Retti weight used by the jew*

ellers

and druggists
nearly.

is

equal to two grains three

sixteenths
p. 154.

See Asiatick Researches

IL

and V.

p. 92.
zti^-

(!) Gnoncha,

(2) Ruttee,

) ;

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN

Acacia Aribica. (W.) Babuli^) H. Barhiira^.

The Gum. BabuUca

Gu7id{^)

H.

The Acacia vera

which
yields Ihe

W. (Mimosa J^ilotica L. Gummi ArabiciiTfi of the Enr(

ropean pharmacopogias,

is

not found

among the
so per-

numerous

species of

Acacias that are natives of

Hindustan ; but the

fectly similar to

gum

of the BahUl

is

gum

Arabic, that, for every purit

pose,

whether medicinal or economical,

it.

may be

substituted for

The bark of
is

the tree, like that

of most of the Acacias^

a powerful astringent
for tanning,
in

and
the

is

used, instead of

oak bark,

by

European manufacturers of leather

1? y^QV

Bengali

irMimosa

IS ilotica %iit \^^r

\-r-i

*'

' tt ^VVOODVILLE, II. ,V187.

iMuRRAY,

II.

528.*

Acacia Cathchu, (W.) K'hayari^) H. Ohadira S. Mimosa Cate Murray, II. 540^ Mimosa Catechu WoodvillEj II, 183 Aeon us Calamuh, (W.) Bachi^) H. Vachd S.

Murray,

V. 39.

WoODVILLE, III. 472. Allium Sativum, (W.) Lchseni^) H. Lasuna S.

Murray, V.
WoODVILLE,

122.

III. 472.

Aloe Perfoxiata, (W.) Ghi-Cumdri^) H. GhritaXumdri

[and Taruni S.

The Gum.

Eheai'T')

H. Mus'ebberi^) Arab. Murray, V. 238.

WoODYILLE,

III. 556.

(1)

BubooL

(2)

BubooUka Qoond,

(3) E^htier.

(4) Bucfu
(8) Moosubt'^'^

(5) La?csun.

(6) Q.keskoevar,

(7) Elwc.

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

0/

^MOMUM Cardamomum. X^V-) /^ac^^(0 H. EldS* Amomum Cai^amomum. Murr,ay, V. 61* Amomum Repens* Woodville, II. 356* Amomum Zingiber, (W.) Adraci^) H. Ardraca S.
The
dried root, S^onVh

H. SunVhi

S.

Murray, V.
Woodville,
I.

52.

31.

AsDROPOGOK ScuoENANTBUs, (W.) GendbHi^) H. B^hus^

[tr^na S.

Murray, V.

443.

This plant, under the name of Juncus odoratus,

had formerly a place

eopoeias,

in all

the

European pharmain the shops.

but

it is

now

rarely

met with

It continues^

however, to be a favourite herb with

both for medicinal and culinary
practitioners consider the

the Asiaticks,
purposes.

The Hindu
Whatever

infusion of the leaves as sudorific, diuretic and

em-

menagogue.
virtues,
it is

title it

may have

to these
;

at least a very agreeable diluent

it's

and^

on account of

fragant smell, aromatic flavour,

and warm,

bitterish,

but not unpleasant

taste,

is

generally found to be a drink very grateful to the

stomach

in

sickness.

Many
use,

European^,
instead of
it,

with
the

whom

tea does not agree,

infusion of this plant, to

which they have given

the name of lemon-grass.

Anethvm SowA
Sp. Ch. H

(RoxB. MS.) Sbwdi'^) H. Mhrei/dS.

Leayes superdecompound.
radii.

Annual.

Umbel of
Seeds with-

15 equally elevated
(1) Jlaches,

Fruit oblong,

fiat.

out a membranaceous margin, and with three ribs on the base.

(2) Udruk,

'

(3) Gundbel,

(4) Sod,

A CATALOGUE OF IJ^DIAN

ATfETEVM pANiaoRiuM (RoxB. MS.) MayufiO) H.

Ma^

[^d^hurica S.

Sp^ Ck.

Annual.

Erect.
to,

Ramous.

Leaves sttperdeconv
elevated
radii,

poun^

Umbel

of from. 10

20. unequally

yrait ohlong, deeply furrowed, but not

->vinged.

Th-e former of these umbelliferous plants resembles in appearance the AnetJiiim graveolens
(

W.

and the other the

AnetJium fceniculum

(W.)

Both

species are cultivated ia Bengal, on

seeds,

account

of their

which are used

in diet, as, well as ii>

medicine.

Th^ey are

warm

aromatics, and may^

as car-^

supply the places of

dill

and fennel-seed,

minatives^ in cases of flAtulent colic or dyspepsia^

j^piUM Jnvolucratvm (Roxb. MS.)

Sp. Ch.
fillfojrm.

AJniudC^.)

H. Ajamodn

S.

Annual.

Glaucous.

Villous.

Superior leaflet*

Both general and

partial inyolucra.

about

six leaved.

This species of Apiiiin

for the

is.

cultivated ia

Bengal

seeds

only,

the natives, never using the

leaves.

The

seeds Ifave a very agreeable aromatic;

flavour, and are therefore

as a condiment.
in

much employed

in diet

They

are also used in medicine^,

the same cases as the

Sowa and Majjim

seed^

above mentioned.

Argemose Mexicana (W.)

Bherband^i^) and Shl(flCdn*

Itd.i^)

H.

The

seed of this plant

is

used

in

the West Indies

as a substitute for ipecacuan.

Dr.
is

Grainger

as^

sures us that,

'^

where ipecacuan

not at hand^

(1) M'^i/Qoree.

(S) Vjntood.

(3) Bhtrbanr,

(4) Shial-!ianea^

MEDTCITTAL PLANTS AND ORUGS.

**^

the

following;

emetic

may be
infuse
it

depended on^

" Bruise two

''

dracbiTis of yellow thistle seedj

(Ar*
of

" gcmone Mexicana) and

boiling water.
strain

in half a gill
it

Let

it

stand

till

cools^ then

'*

and sweeten

it *to

the palate.

This

is

'^

sufficient dose for a

grown up ncgroe.

The

yel-

''

low

thistle

seed

is

not only a safe emetic, but,

is

*'

like the ipecacuan^

a f?trngthoner of the sto-

"

mach.'*
V/. Ind. Bis.

Essay on

pege

3fk

2cJ

Edit, Edihb. 1802.

The Argemone Mexicana

est w-eeds in Hindustarij

is

one of the

common*
reason to

and one of the most trou:

blesome to the husbandman

believe that
b^jt
it
is

yet there

is

not a native of this

country,

brought hither, accidentally

as
it

from

America

by the Portuguese,
Murope,
in the

was by the SpaniarcU to

it

southern countries of which

now

grows wild.
its

This seems the more probable from

not having any

name

in the

Sanscrit langiiage,
not being noticed,
either

or in the Persian, and from

its

though a very specious RiiEEDE

or

plants

by

Van

by Rumphius.
is

The
.

seed

not used in medicine bv the native

I

practitioners, nor as far as

tried here

know

has

it

ever been

by the European.

There can be no reait

son, however, for not

having recourse to

in

the

case of a deficience of ipecacuaii, especially as

we

may

rest assured,

on so unexceptionable an autho-

8f
ritj as that

A CATALOGUE OP INDIAN
above
cited, that the

experiment would

not be attended with any risk.

Aristolochia Inhica. (W.) Isdrmelyi^) H.

The
bitter,

root of this species of birthwort

is

intensely

and

is

supposed by the Hindus to possess the

antarthritic
in

emmenagogue and

virtues

which

were formerly ascribed

Europe

to its congeners,

the Aristolochia longa and rotunda.

terness
is

As

its

bit-

accompanied with a considerable degree

it

of aromatic warmth,

will probably be

found a

useful medicine in dyspepsia.

Artemisia Vulgaris. (W.) Ndg-dbna H. Nugadamana

S.

Murray,

I.

190.
II.

WoODVlLLE,
AscLLPiAS AsTHMATiCA. (W) AiUamel H.(2)
Asclepias Vomitoria.

331.

K(ENIg's Ms.

I have inserted this plant on the authority of the

following note, which was found

among

the late

Dr. Kcenig's papers, and communicated to me by

Dr. Roxburgh.
*'
^'

''

Dr. Patrick Russell was

informed by the Physician-General at Madras,

that he had,

many

years before,

known

it

(the

*' ^'

root o^ the Asclepias Vomitoria) used, both

by

the

European and

native troops, with great suc-

''

cess, in

the dysentery, which happened at that

''

time to be epidemic in the camp.

The

store

of

'^ *'

ipecacuanha, had,

it

seems, been wholly expend-

ed

and Dr. Anderson, finding the practice of

*^ (1) Isannul

.....
(2)

>

UotomuU

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

''
**^

'^

the black doctors

much more

successful than his

own^ was not ashamed to take instruction from

theni^

"
*^

which he pursued with good success

and

collecting a quantity of the plant

which they

*'

pointed out to
roots to

nini;,

he sent^a large package of the

It is certainly

'^
*'

Madras.

an article of
attention."

the Materia
I

Medica highlydeserviiig

have ndt obtained any further account of the

virtues

medicinal

of thi^ species of

Asclepias;
is

tvhich grows in the Northern Circarsi bat

noi

met with
observes,

in

Bengal.

It is, how^ever^ as

Dr. KcENia
'

an article highly deserving

attention.

The ipecacuanha root is one of thfcf few n^edicines for which we have not as yet found any adequate
substitute
in

India
in

and^

if

such a substitute

should be found
matica,
it

the root of the Asclepias Asthacquisi-^

would prove a most valuable

Medica.
II.

tion to our Materia

l^oswELLiA S ERRATA. (RoxB.) Sulai

Salluci S.

LiBANUs Thurifera. (Oolebrooke.)

CCu?idur{^)
SLiid

Gendch

Jiro.^

Olibanum (The Gum-resin)

<
(^rc/i/^) II.

Cundura

S.

As. Res. IX. 377.

The

grateful odour diffused by Olibanum^

lire^

wben

thrown on the

must have early attracted the

it

notice of mankind^, as

appears that this fragrant

the religious ce-

gum-resiu was used as

(1) Cconioar,

incense^, in

(2) Gundu-fcer czn or Gundu'Mrozii,

J3

; ;

10

A CATALOGUE OP INDIAN
all

remonies of almost

the antiont nations.

Of this
( un-

honour

it

has kept possession, from the most reuntil the present time,

mote
less
still

B^ntiquiiy,
its

when

when

place

is

supplied by

Benzoin,)

it

continues to perfume the churches, mosques

in

and temples, both

Europe and Asia.

have remained
in igno-r

That

naturalists should
until

ranee or in errour,

almost the present day,

respecting the tree which yields a substance so

long known, and so universally used, must appear

not a
little

surprising.

Such, however,

is

the fact

and the merit of having discovered the true origin

of
this celebrated

incense,

is

due to Mr. Cole-

BROOKE, who has ascertained and proved, most

satisfactorily,

that the olibanum, or frankincense

is

of the antients,

not the gum-resin of the Juni^

perus Lycia, as was generally supposed, but the

produce of our Lihanus Thurifera,

See his

pa-

per on this subject, in the Asiatick Researches,

Vol. IX. p, 377, to which

is

subjoined a botanical

description of the tree by Dr.

Roxburgh.
retained in the
it is

Although the olibanum

is still

pharmacopoeias of the three British colleges,

seldom used as a medicine

Formerlv, however,
estimation, as a
it

in

modern practice.
in

was held
in catarrh

considerable

remedy

and hoemoptysis
it

and

as

it is less

heating than myrrh, by which

it

has been superseded in these diseases,

might

stillj

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

11

perhaps, be used with advantage^ in some cases, in

which the mjrrh might prove too stimulant.

Cahsalpihia Eonducella. (W.) CatcaranjW)
Cat-calejii^)

[H. Puti.Caravja S.

This shrub
its

is

a native of both the Indies ; but

i8^

use in medicine

I believe,

known only

in

the

East.
ter,

The

kernels of the seeds are intensely bitin a

and possess the tonic power

very high

degree.

They

are accordingly employed

by the

Hindu
is

physicians, in all cases in

which that power

in

more

especially required
for

and particularly

intermittent fevers,

which they are considered

as an almost infallible remedy.

The mode of using

them
its

is

as follows.
shell, is

One

of the seeds, freed from

hard

beat into a paste, with a few drops

of water, and three corns of black pepper.

This

is

formed

into three pills,

is

which are taken

for a dose,

and

this dose

repeated, three or four times a day

or oftener if necessary.

The decoction of the Gen^

)

tiana Cherayita

Roxb.

is

generally prescribed,
pills/

to be taken at the

same time with the

See

Gentiana Cherayita,

This method of curing intermittents

rally successful, that
it

is

so gene-

has been adopted

by many

JSwropea;i practitioners; particularly int/iose cases,

which

so frequently occur,

in

which the patients

have an aversion to the Peruvian bark, or cannot

(1)

Kut'kwunja,

(S> Kut-kuli-te^

*^
retain
it

A CATALOGUE VOr INDIAN

on the stomach.
In
all

such

cases,

and

also on occasions

where the Peruvian bark cannot

be procured, I believe that the Catcaranja will be found one of the best substitutes to which we can

have recourse
coction of

particularly if assisted

by the deis

the

Cherayita,
it

which indeed

so

powerful an auxiliary, that

may be

doubtful, in

the case of success, to which of the two remedies

the cure should be chiefly ascribed.

Cannabis

Satij'a.

(W.) B' ha n g

sind

Gfwja

II.

Canjlcd^.
608.

Murray, IV.

LvMARCR
i%

is

of opinion that the Indian Gdnj

a diiTerent species of Cannabis from the Canna^

hip.

Sativaj and names

it

''

Cannabis In die a foliis

)

alterni'i."

(Encyc. Bot.

I.

695.

But Willdenow,

after

remarking that the European species has also

assures
us that on

alternate leaves,

comparing

it

with many specimens of the Indian plant, he could

itot

perceive any difference between them; See Sp,

PI.

IV. 763. neither could Dr. Roxburgh, on com-

paring plants raised from Europe hemp-seed with

the Gdnja plant, discover
distinction
variety.
;

in

the latter the slightest

not even enough on which to found a

Capsicum Frutescens. (W.) Lul

Mit^ch
I.
'

H.
732. rrf
III.
is

r A Capsicum Annuum,

< x,r

^Murray,

^WOODVILLE,

391.

.,

The annual

species of

Capsicum

not a native
<rar-

of this conntrv, and but rarely found in the

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

dus.

13
there are

The Capsicum frutesccns, of which

is

several varieties^

cultivated ia every part of India,

on account of

its

pods

which

afford to the inha-

bitants a condiment, as necessary for their rice

and

pulse diet^ as salt

itself.

In respect to the medical

uses of this species^ ^^^J perfectly correspond with

those of the Capsicurn

aimuum,
to.

for

which

see the

authors above referred

Carica Papaya. (W.)

Papaiyct

H.C^)^

Rump.

Amb.

I.

[Tab. 50. 51.

This

IS

not an indigenous tree of Indian and

in

consequently has no name

It
is

the Sanscrit language.

JVesi--

a native of South-America and the

it

Indies; whence

was brought, by the Spardards

;

and Portuguese, to the Fhilippines and Aloluccas

and

from these
it

islands,

being
all

of very

quick

growth,

spread rapidly to
It

the other countries

of India.

has long been cultivated in every

is

quarter of Hindustan, and

in

flower and fruit

during the greatest part of the year.

juice, that flows from the fruit,

The milky
incision
is

when an
is

made
by the
bo7i,

into

it,

beforo

it

is

quite ripe,

esteemed,

inhabitants of the Isle

of France and Bour-

as the

most powerful vermifuge that has yet

been discovered.

An

account of this remedv was

transmitted to the President of the Asiatick Society,

by Mr. Charpen^tier Cossigni,

(1)
rn^ttejia.

in a letter,

dated

14
the 3d

A CATALOGUES OF INDIAN

November 1800, of which the following n

an extract.
'' *'

Un

hazard heureux a

fait
le

decouvrir a L'Isle

de la Reunion un remede

plus efficace de tous

II

*'
*'

ceux connus contre

les vers.

y a plusieurs an-

nees qu'on en fait usage avec le plus grand succes,

'^
*'

a L'Isle de France, ou

les

maladies vermi-

neuses sont tres communes.

papayas.
II

C'est

du
il

lait

de

'
*'

On

incise ce fruit

quand

est verd.

rend un

lait,

qu'on recueille, et qu'on

le

fait

*'
*' *' *'

prendre a jeun au malade. C'est

plus puissant
qu'il tue

de tous

le

vermifuges.

On

pretend

meme le Tania cucurbiteux, mun dans L*Isle, Au reste,

qui
les

est assez

com-

preuves de la

"

vertu puissante de ce remede sont deja tres

nom-

"
*'

breuses, sans qu*il soitresulte fl'accidens, quoiquf

on

ait essaye

de Tadministrer en grande dose,

Ce

" qui
*' *'

rend ce remede precieux, c*est qu*une seule

les vers,

dose sufBt pour tuer tous

quelle grande

qu'en

soit la

quantite."

The

vermifage, thus strongly recommended^, and

on such respectable authority, has not yet come

into use here, either

among the

native or
it

European
was pub-

practitioners

although an account of

lished, at the time, in the Calcutta newspapers.

A
all

remedy, however, so simple, and so easily at

times to be procured, certainly deserves to have a

fair trial.

The

dose for an infant

is

one tea spoonful

MEDICINAI, PLANTS AND DRUGS.

15

of the juice, mixed with thrice that quantity of

warm
adult,

water, or cow's milk

for a child of six or

;

seven years of age, one table spoonful

and, for an

two table spoonfuls.

few

liours after the

patient has taken the dose of

Papaya

milk, a dose

of Oleum Ricini

is

given to him, to promote the

expulsion of the dead worms.

Cassia Fistula. (W.) Jmeltasi}) H. Suvernaca
S.

Murray,

II.

510.
III. 449.
S.

WOODVILLE,

Cassia Alata. (W.) Ddd.merdeni^) H. Dddrughna

This shrub grows wild

in various parts

of HiU"

dustdn and

is

cultivated, in Bengal, as an ornament

to the flower-garden.
leaves,

The mixed with common

its

expressed juice of the

salt, is

used externally,
this quality, it

for curing the ring- worms.

From
called,

has obtained

Hindustani and Sanscrit names;

it is

and, for the same reason,

by Rumphius,

Herpetica
tres.

and,

by French authors, Herbe a Dar^

this general prepossession
I

Notwithstanding

in its favour, in the

many trials which

have made

of

it,

for curing herpetic eruptions, I

have oftener

failed than succeeded.

Cedrela Tuna. (W.)

Tiini^) II.

Tunna and Cuveraca

[^Suren Malay^

Surenus. Rumph. Ilort, Arnb. III. 68. Tab. 39.

See a botanical description of this tree by Sir

(1) UmuUas,

(2)

Bad murdun.

(3) Toon.

16

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAJf
in the
is

'

AViLLiAM Jones,
p. 273.

4th Vol. of the As. Res,

its

The wood

esteemed on account of

and beautiful colour, resembling that of mahogany, and is much employed, by the cabinet-makers in
Calcutta, for the purpose of being

close grain,

made

into furniture.

No

part of the tree

is

used in

medicine by the Hindus;

.E/z^ZisZi

but a very intelligent

surgeon,

now

deceased, found the

it,

powder
very ef-

of the bark, and the extract made from

ficacious in the cure of fevers.

He ^Iso ejcperieocecl

great advantage from the powder, applied exter-.

nally, in the treatment of different kinds of ulcers^.

See a letter to Dr.

Duncan, from Mr. J.Kennedy,

I.

surgeon at Chunar. (Annals of Medicine

387.)

* I have not met >yith any other account of tho

medicinal qualities of the

respectable authority, I

Tun bark;
it

but, on so

judged

a proper object

of further inquiry, and have therefore given the

tree a place in the catalogue.

Citrus Aurantium,

(AV.)

NarevfA) and Narefigi (the

[smallest)

Na7^6ingo S.
sort)

Coulai^) (the

common

Sautarai^) (thcfChina orange)

Citrus Mldica, (W.) Ll;mu{^)

II.

Jambira^.
III. 265. 284.

Murray,
WooDViLLE,

III. 496.

600.

* I have since found in Rumphius, that an infusion of the bark and leaves of this tree, with the addition of the root of the Acorns Calamus, is hi2;hly steemed by the Javanese as a remedy in fevers, and that the Residnum of the infusion, made into a liniment with vinegar, is used by them externally as a discutient in obstructions and indurations of the spleen {vidz loc. Citot.) (1)

Nantnj and Narungee.

(2) Kuola.

(3) Sungtura,

(4) Lemcc,

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS,

ConDiA Myxa. (-W.) Lehsbra(\) H. Bakuvdraca
S.

17

Murray,
CoiiJ Ay j>nvM

II.

133.
16.
S.

WoonviLLE, IV.

Sativum. (W.) D'hamjaC^) H. D'hani/dca

Murray,
Croton Tiglium.

I.

405
III.

WOODVILLE,

492.

(VI'.)Jet/pnl& Jemdlgoiai^) H. Jai/apdlaS,

Murray, IV.

149.
42.

RuMPH. Amb, IV. Tab.

The
known
lia.

seeds
in

of this plant were formerly

Avell

Europe^ under the names of Grana Tig-

and Grana Molucca.

;

They were employed

but^ on account of Ihe

as

hydragogue purgatives

violence of their operation, they have been long

banished from modern practice.

reason, they are seldom used
tioners,
tives,

For the same

by the Hindu practias

though not unfrequently taken,

classes

purga-

by the poorer
is

of the natives.
It
is

One

seed

sufficient for a dose.

first

carefully

cleared from the membranaceous parts, (the rudi-

ments of the seminal leaves,

centre of it;

that adhere to the

it is

by which precaution,

fouad to

act less roughly; and then rubbed with a little

rice gruel, or with a bit of the plantain fruit.

%
CucvMis CoLOCYNTUis. (W.) IndrdlmW H. Indravdruni
S

Murray,

I.

583.

WoODVILLE, III. 476. CuMiNUM Cyminum. (W.) Jtrdi^) H. Jiraca S.

(!) Luhsora,

Murray,
'
i

I.

391. 521.

'

WOODVILLE, III. "'

'

"^^

(?) D'hunya,

(3) Jtimalgota*

(4) Indrayun,

(5) Jeera*

18

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
Haldi{\) H. Haridra S,

CvRCUM4 LoNGA, (W.)

Murray, V.
WOODVILLE,

73.
II. 359.

CVRCUMA Zedoaria. (Roxu. MS.) jimomum Zedoaria, (W.)

Kcempferia Rotunda, ^^
Sp. Ch.

Nirbisti^) JI. Nirbisha Su

-^w^'"^^^' ^'if^'o., (VVOODVILLE, 11. 361.

Bulbs small, with long yellow
their,

Spikes

lateral.

palmated tubers.

Leaves broad, lanceolar, subsessile on

sheath. Sericeous underneath. Colour, uuiform green.

(Roxb*

MS.)

From

the roots of several species of

Curcuma,

that are found in Bengal,

the natives prepare a

tjiey

farinaceous powder,
It
is

which

call

TikhurS^^

in

every respect similar to the power prepared

from the root of the Maranta Arundiuacea, or

arrow-root; and
shops.
is

often sold for

it

in the CalcuttOt

Datura Metel. (W.)

D'haturai^)
<.,.
^
i

II.

V'hustura
I.
'

S.

TT^^ n * c/ c tov JDatura btramonmm^QH

Murray,

670. o OODVILLE, 338.

i, 11. is

The
but the

Z).

Stramonmm, which
EuropCj
is

the species used;

in medicine in
Z).

not found in Hindustan,^

in every part

Metel grows wild

of the

country.
lities

The
it

soporiferous and intoxicating qua-

of the seeds are well known to the inhabi-

tants;

and

appears,

fiom the records of the

(3) Teekhctr. (4) D'hutooru.

(1) Huldee.

(2) Nirbissec.

* In the Asiatic Researches, VI. 351. Colonel Hardwicke, enumeDatwa Stramonium among the plants which he found in the Sirinagur country ; but he alteiMards ascertained, that the plant which he met with, was the Datura Mcttl; and has candidl} authorized mc to notice [^exuisUkc.
rates the

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

rifive courts of justice^ that these seeds are

19
still

frequently employed^ for the same licentious and

wicked purposes,

as they

were formerly,

in

the

time of AcosTA and Rumphius.

(See RUiMPH.

Amb, V.
seeds
oj*

242.

do not know that either the

the extract prepared from the expressed

juice of the plant, are used in medicine here; but

those

who

place any faith in the accounts givea

by Baron Stoerck, and Mr. Odhelius* of the

efficacy of the extract of the

Stramonium,

in the

cure of mania, epilepsy, and other convulsive disorders,

may

reasonably expect the same effects

from the extract of the

in the

Met el ;

the narcotic

power

two

species being perfectly alike.

Linn^us,

indeed, has given a place, in his

Materia Medica,
Stramonium.
II.

to the Metel, in preference to the

Datura Fastuosa. (W.) Lai D'hatura

This species
a
fine
is

cultivated in gardens, and

its tall

makes

appearance with

red polished stalk,

It
is

and beautiful purple flowers.

also

found

growing wild ou commons, and amidst the rubbish

of ruined buildings.
I

have inserted

it

in the ca-

talogue in consequence of having been favoured

by Dr. Hunter, with the following communication.

" The Datura Fastuosa,

''

is

employed

in Ceylon,

as a

remedy

for

Spasmodic Asthma,
loc. ck^t.

The

part

* Vide

Murray & Woodvxlle,

20
^^

A CATALOGUE OP lNt)rAX
is

'

used

the root^ which

is

dried in the shade,

'^

beaten so as to

make
pipe.

the fibres separate, and

" then cut

^'
''

into small pieces to be

smoked

in

common tobacco
mtiy
b*e
its

One
fit is

or

two pipefuU

smoked when the

accession,

expected, or even
fails to relieve

*^ after
^* it,
*'
*'

when

it

seldom

occasioning some heat in the chest, followed

e:xpectoration.
It in general

by

also

produces
inclina*
is

giddiness, followed
tion to sleep.

by drowsiness and
Fctst^osa,

'* '^
''
^'

The Datura
in

com-

monly cultivated
but
I

the gardens about Cohimbo,

understand that the Datura Jkfefd, which

in

grows

great abundance in this neighbour-

^'

hood, possesses similar virtues.'*

of a Letter frcm Thomas Chr.i&tie, Esq. to Dr. dated Sd Feb. ISIO.

,:.) tract

William

Hunter;

Davcus

CAROTid. (VV.) G^;Vr(0 H. GarjaraS*

Murray,

I.

316.

WOODVILLE, III. 443. DoLicnos PnuRiENs, (W.) KizDachH. Capicach^hu

S,

Murray,

II.

438.

WOODVILLE, III. 468. HcniTEs Antidysenterica, (Roxb. MS.) Curayiai^)

The
seed, Inderjao

tf.

[^Cutaja S.

H. Indrayava
42.
..-.

S.

i\r WOODVILLE, IV. EUPATORIVM AyaPANA. (W.)

'

Nerium Antidysentericum. ^

\\xr
^

"^

'

This plant was brought, about ten years ago>

from Brazil, of which country

tiie

it

i.s

a native, to
islanders,

IhIc

of France; and

w^as,

by the

(1) Gajurt

(2) KborajXi*

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRVG?.

considered for a time, as almost a;pan?icea.
appears, however, that
it

21
It

has eutirclj lost

its

credit
it

with them,

and that thev do not now allow

to possess any medicinal virtue v^^hatsoever.

See

BoRY DE

St.

Vincent, voyage

aiix principales

Isles cles JVEers d' Afrique.

The

instances are not

first

unfrequent, of medicines which had been at

too highly extolled, having afterwards met witii

unmerited neglect; and such may, perhaps, be the

case, in respect to the plant in question
;

which has
is

been lately introduced into Bengal, and

cultivated in the gardens about Calcutta-

now

I have

therefore inserted the Aya'pana in the catalogue,

as an object deserving further inquiry.
Its

con-

gener, the Eiipatorium Cannabiiiurn,

was strongly
as

recommended by Tour^efort and Chomel,

and externally,

deobstruent, in visceral obstructions consequent to

intermittent fevers
in
;

as a discutient,

hydropic swellings of the legs and scrotum.

See

Murray,

I.

202.
ChirdyitaHi. Cirata^
\ticta S.

Gentian A Cuirayita. (Roxb. MS.)

Sp. Ch>

Herbaceous.

Leaves

stem-clasping,

lanceolate.

S 5

nerved.

Corol rotate, four

cleft,

smooth. Stamens four.

Capsule ovate, bifurcate, as long as the calyx.

(Hoxb. MS.)

This species of Gentian

is

indigenous in the
t'^e

mountainous countries to the northward of

Ganges
Bengal,

but does not grow

in the

lower parts of
is

The

dried herb,

however,

to be

met

22
^vitli in

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
every bazar of Hindustan,

being a

rtie*-

dicine in the highest repute^ with both the

Hindu
the

and European

practitioners.

It possesses all

stomachic, tonic, febrifuge and antarthritic virtues

which

are ascribed to the Gentiana Lutea^

and

in

a greater degree than they are generally found in

that root, in the state in which
it

comes to us from

Europe.

It

may

therefore,

on every occasion, be
it.

advantageously substituted for

The

efficacy

of the Chirayita, when combined with the Caranja

nut, in curing intermittents, has been already
'

men-

tinned.

It

is

found equally powerful

in exciting

and strengthening the action of the stomach, and

obviating flatulency, acidity and redundancy of

phlegm,

in dyspepsia

and gout.

For restoring the

tone and activity of the moving fibre, in general

debility,

and

in that

kind of cachexy which

is

lia-

ble to terminate in dropsy, the Chirayita will be

found one of the most useful and effectual remedies

which we can employ.

The

parts of the plant that are used in medicine,

are the dried stalks,

with pieces of the root addecoction of these, or which

is is

hering to them.
better,

an infusion of them in hot water,

the

form usually administered.

Spirituous tinctures

are also prepared from the plant, with the addition

of orange-peel and cardamom seeds

and those

who

consider such tinctures as of any avail, will

find these very agreeable hitters.

The most

use-

.MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

ful purpose,

23

however, to which the tincture can be

applied,

is

that of being added to the decoction, or

infusion, with the view

of rendering them more

grateful to the stomach.

Glycyrruiza Glacra. (W.) Jet'kimad'hW H. Yastima^

[dhuca
S,

Murray,

II.

457.

WoODVILLE, III. 458. Uyperantbera MoRiNGA. (W.) Sakijunai.^) H. Sobhan^

[^jana S,

Guilandlna Moringc^.

Murray,

II. 521,

This
utility,
tally

tree,
is

on account of

its

beauty, as w ell as

its

a favourite with the natives of

are fond of planting
it

Hindusr

who

near their houses,

both

in the

towns and

villages.

The Legumes,
and are used
root of the

blossoms and leaves are

all esculent,

both as potrherbs and for pickles.

The

young

tree,

when

sicraped,

so exactly resembles

horse-radish, as scarcely to be distinguished from

it

by the nicest palate; and

is.

therefore used,
as a

by

Europeans^ instead of that

with animal food.
plies
its

root,
it

condiment

In medicine,

completely supas a

place, whether

employed externally,

rubefacient,

or used as a stimulant internally, in

cases of palsy, chronic rheumatism and dropsy.

The

expressed

oil

of the seeds

is

employed externally,
in

for relieving the pain of the joints,

gout and

acute rheumatism.

This

oil is

remarkable for re-

(1) Jefheemiid'h,

(2) Suhujnan

24*

A CATVLOGUE OF INDIAN
and, on that account, has been
as the fittest

sisting rancidity,

selected

by the perfumers,

for beings
violets,
little

inapregnated with the odor of jessamines,

tuberoses and other flowers which yield

or

no

essential oil,
oils.

but impart their fiagrance to ex-

pressed

The

seeds of this tree are the

Ben nuts of the

these writer*

t\A writers on pharmacy.

Some of

supposed their

Lignum

Kepliriticum to be the

wood of
which
Spain.

the Aloringa, but erroneously, the tree

affords that

wood

beina:
t=>

a native of

JN'czy

Jatropua CuncAS. (W.) Baghnrindd H. MuRRAYj IV. 164.

The

seeds of this plant, like those of the Croton

Tigliunij

(to

which

it is

nearly allied,) are fre-

quently used as a purgative, by the more indigent

natives.

Their operation
seeds,

is

milder than that of the

Tiglium

and two or three may be taken for

a dose; but the same precaution must be used, in

freeing them from the membranaceous parts, that

was formerly directed

the Tiglium seeds.

to

be observed

in respect to

JusTjciA Paniculata. (W.) Calapndfhi^) and Great

[Cairata

II.

S.

This species of Justicia

is

a native of Bengal,

and of many other parts of Hindusidn. The whole

(1) XulupnaCA.

MEIJICINAL PLANTS AND DRtJGS.

23

6f the plant

is

intensely bitter,

and

it

yields this

quality equally to aqueous^ vinous and spirituous

menstrua.

It

is

much

used,

by the native practi*

SLud

tio.iers^ in fevers

and dysenteries. Tiie French

it

Portuguese inhabitants of India consider

excellent stomachic
bitter tincture,
coast,
;

as

aa

and

it

forms the basis of their

so well

known, on the Malabar

by the name of Drogue Amere.

S.

Laurus Cinnamomvm. (W.) Darchimi}) H. Ddrasita Murray, IV. 4\7.

WoODVILLE,
1.

80.

Laurus

Cassia,

(W.) TeJ pat H. Tarn dla pair a S. The Bark Tej{^) H. Twacha

S.

Murray,

IV. 441.
I.

W00DVILLE5

82.

LiGusTjcuM AiAWAiN. (RoxB. Ms.) Ajawaini^) H.

Vavd-. [w?
S.

gp^
finform

C/i. -^Annual.

Erect.

Leares superdecompoimd with

leaflets.

Ridges and furrows of the seeds distinct and

scabrous.

The

seed of this species of lovage

It is

is

an excel-

lent aromatic.

much

used by the natives as

dishes,

an agreeable condiment

in their

and for
in

improving the flavour of the betel leaf and nut

their Pans.

In medicine,

it is
;

esteemed a powerful

remedy

in the flatulent colic

and

is

employed by

the veterinary practitioners in analogous diseases

of horses and cows.

(1) Darcheenee,

(9) Tuj.

(3)

Vjvsajuru

26
This
notice
(I.
is

A CATALOGUE OF

l3^blAT<

the seed mentioned and

late

recommended td
in his

bj the
)

Dr. Percival,

Essays^

433.

under the name of Ajava seed.

S.

LlNUM UsiTATlSSIMUM. (W.) TisK^) H. j4iasi Murray, III. 474.

WOODVILLE, II. 303. Melia Jzedtrachta. (W.) Nimbi^) H. Nimba

S-

Melia Sesaperfirens. (W.)

Bacdini^) H.

Mahd-Nimba

S.

These two species of the bead-tree^ are small

elegant trees^ cultivated very generally in Hindus*tduy on account of their beautiful blossoms^

and

the medicinal qualities of the leaves.

The

leaves

have a nauseous^ bitter

cy
)

taste,

devoid of astringento water.

which they readily impart

The decocwhich the

Bitters are

tion of

them is used

internally, in cases in

tonic and stomachic virtues of simple

required.

They

are also employed, externally, as

discutients and emollients, either in fomentations,

br in the form of cataplasm

for

which

last

pur-

pose they are simply heated

in'

an earthen pot, and

then bruised and applied to the part affected.

Menispermvm CoRBiTOLiUM. (W.) Gurchai^) H. Guduchi S. Cit-amerdu. Van Rheede, H. M. VII. 39. Menispermvm VERRucosuM.(Koxa. Ms. )Putra Waly Java[nese.

Funis felleus* Rumph. Amb, V. 82.

Sp, Ch,

Perennial.

Scandent.

Verrucose.

Leaves
the

cor-

date, acuminate, entire, smooth.

Male racemes from

naked
~

branches,
-^

siftiple.

Nectareal scales inserted in the filaments.

(2) Neemb. (3) Bukayun, (4) Goorcha.

(1) Teesee,

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS,

27
indigenous

The Menispermum Cordifolium

inmost parts of Hindiistd^n.
the leaves
is

is

The

decoction of
physicians^
It is also

prescribed by the

Hindu

as a febrifuge^

and

as a tonic in gout.

one of the many remedies which they

cure of jaundice.

^'lYe

for the

The

very young leaves are em-^

ployed externally, as an emollieatj made into the

form of liniment,

vtrith

milk.

The Mentspermum Verritcosum was

into Bengal,

introduced

from Malacca, by Captain

;

Wright,

about ten years ago

and

is

nowr cultivated in the

is

gardens about Calcutta.

It

readily propagated

from cuttings, which are remarkable for the great

length of time during which they preserve the

power of vegetation.

Every part of the plant

;

is

exceedingly bitter, particularly the stalk

which,

from

this quality, has obtained its

literally translated
It is

Javanese name,

Putrd Wall;
funis felleus.
ed, in the

by Rumphius,

the remedy generally employ-

Malay
;

countries, for the cure of inter-

mittent fevers

and, from Captain

Wright's

ac-

count,

is

as

powerful a febrifuge as the Peruvian

however, come into use here;
other approved remedies,
is

bark.
nor,

It has not,

while

we have
it

there any occasion for having recourse to it;

I have given

but

a place in the catalogue, for the

sake of captains and surgeons of ships, trading to

the eastward, who, should their stock of bark at

any time

fail theao,

may,

ia all the

Malay

islands^

S8
find

A CATALOGUES OF INDIAN
a valuable substitute for
it

in

the Putrd

Wait.

Mentha

Sativa, (W.) Podina{\) H.

Mentha
Mentha

Crispa.
viridzs,

Murray,

II.

178.
III. 4G3,
for,

WoodvillEj

The mint
fforaL

so generally used in Bengal, both

is

medicinal and culinary purposes

the Spear mint

a different plant

(Mentha
Dr.

viridis

W.
is

but
'\i

I have not been able to ascertain to

what

species

ought

to be referred.
it

Roxburgh
it

of opin-

ion that, if

be not the same^

(

comes nearest to

the

Mentha Satroa
is

W.

In a medical view, this

uncertainty

not of

much

importance,

as

our
as

JPodina possesses fully the aromatic flavour,

well as the stomachic, antispasmodic and emmena-

gogue

virtues,

which seem common

to

most of the

species of this genus.

MiRABiLis Jalappa. (W.)

G'ul

Abbas H.

This

is

not an indigenous plant of Hindustan

it

but

all

the beautiful varieties of

are

now

culti-.

vated, as an ornai;nent to the gardens in Bengal.

The

officinal jalap

was formerly supposed

;

to

be

the root of this species of Mirahilis

it is

and hence

obtained

its

trivial

name; but that valuable drug

of
so

now

ascertained to be the root of a species

Convolvulus.

As the Mirahilis, however, had

long retained the credit of affording the jalap;

(1) Pood^ina.

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

^tid,

2^
in bota-r

with authors of the highest authority

ny, from

Plumier

to Linnaeus, I

was desirous of
quality
it

discovering what degree of purgative

really possessed.
fully dried and
itj

With

that view, having careroot,

I sent

powdered some of the

for trial, to the

European and

native hospitals.

Dr. Hunter's report, from the former of these,

is

as follows

'^

We have tried the

They do
taste,

Mirahilis with
its

"
''

thirteen patients.

not complain of*

being disagreeable to the nausea or griping; but

is

nor of

its

exciting

'^
*' ^'
^'

its

operation, as a purge,

uncertain, and

two drams of it sometimes prostool.

cure only a single

best with

It

seemed to answer
complaints."

those

who had bowel

Dr. Shoolbred found the root equally weak and,

uncertain in
its

operation, in the trials v^hich he

made of
^ICOTIAN.4.

it,

in the native hospital.

II.

Tabacum, (W.) Tamhdcui^)

Tamracuia S?
338.

Murray,

i.

670.
II.

WOODVILLE,

Njgella Indica. (Roxb. MS.) Cdld

Sp. Ch.

Jirai^-)

H. Miisavi

S,

Annual.

Petals entire.

Pistils five:

length of

the stamina.

Leaves decompound,.
cleft.

E:^terior lip of the nec-

tary ovate, and deeply two

Interior entire aud acute,

(Roxb. MS.)

The
more
its

seed of this plant

is

used by the natives

in diet

than in medicine; and, on account of

agreeable flavour and taste, forms the principAl

O)

Tumbakoo,

(2) Kalajeenu

so
condiment
in

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
the Curries.

The
is,

seed of

its

con^^

geuer, the Nigella Sativa,

in like

manner, the

favourite spice of some nations on the continent of

Europe :
given
III.
it

particularly the Hanoverians,

who have

34,

name of and Plenck,

the

tout epice.
Plant.

See Murray^^
49.

Med. V.

OcixuM PiLOSUM. (RoxB. MS.) Rihdn H.

The
Sp. Ch.
ovate,
seed,

Tukhmi Rikdn(l) H.
Leaves

Shrubby.
ovate,

Hairy.

Branches four sided.

oblong,

serrated,

with margins and petioles hairy.

cordate,,
;

Bracts petioled,

ciliate.

Upper

lip
its

of the
length,

calyx round, cordate and hairy

with corol twice

(RoxB. MS.)

Many

species of the

Ocimum
the

are

common

in

Bengal, and comprehended under the generic name

of Tulasi.
(

One of them,

Ocimum Sanctum,
is

W. )

Parnasa

in Sanscrit,

well

known

to

be

held in higher veneration, by the Hindus, than

any other plant. See As. Res. IV. 280. The leaves
of most of the species have a slightly aromatic
taste,

and a strong, but not disagreeable smell.

in the catalogue,
its

have given the Rihdn a place

on account of the peculiar quality of

which, when infused
lage
in cold water,

seed,

forms a muci-

much

used by the natives as a demulcent

in catarrhs.

From

the slight aroma which

it

pos-

sesses, it lies easier

on the stomach than most other

It is

vegetable mucilages.

a favourite medicine

(I) Toohhtni rihm.

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

With the native women,
tion;,

Si

who

take

it

after parturi-

and suppose that

it

relieves the after-pains.

S.

Fapa^er Somniferum. (W.) Post H. Qhasa

Opium, Afiun H.

&

Pera.

Murray,

II.

254.

WOODVILLE, III. 503. Phyllanthus Emblica, (W.) Jonlai^) H. Amalaci

S.

Murray, IV.
This tree
state,
is

127.

found, both in a wild and cultivated

Its

in

most parts of Hindustan,

fruit

is

one of those which were formerly known in Europe

under the name of Myrobalans, but which have

been long discarded from the pharmacopceias.
is,

It

however,

in

general use with the

Hindu physi-

cians,

as an eccoprotic,
It
is

and enters into many of

particularly an essential

their compositions.

ingredient in the preparation of the Bitlaban,

medicinal salt which will be afterwards noticed.

Piper Nigrum. (W.) Mirch H. Maricha S. Murray, V. 22,

WoODVILLE,
III.

513
S,

Piper Longvm. (W.) Pipem H. Pippali Murray, V. 35.

WoODVILLE, III. 516. Plant AGO Ispaghul, (Roxb. MS.) Ispaghuli^) H.

Sp,
Ch.

Caulescent.
v^rooly.

Leaves

linear,

lanceolate,

three

nerved, slightly

Peduncles axillary.

Head

cyliudric.

Capsule two-seeded.

(Roxb. MS.)

This plant was formerly supposed to be the

(1) Uonla

8j

Awula.

(2) PeejpuU

(S) Ispughook

m
cnt species.

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
(

Planiago Psyllium
It
is

L.

but

is

certainly a differ*

cultivated in

Bengal, on ac-

count of the seeds, which, like those of the P.

Psyllium, form a rich mucilage with boiling water.

For

this purpose,

a pint of water
seeds.

is

poured on
is

about two drams of the

This mucilage

very generally used, as a demulcent, in catarrhs,

nephritic pains, heat of urine, and other diseases
ia

which acrimoay

is

to be obviated or palliated.

Plumbago Zlylanica. (W.) Chlt'ai^) U. ChitracaS. Plumbago Rosea. (W.) Ldl Chita II. Raota Chitraca

S.

Bo

h these shrubs are cultivated in Bengal as

flower plants.

Every part of them

is

extremely
its

acrid, particularly the root; which, in

state,

recent

bemg

bruised,

is

employed, by the Hindu,

practitioners, as a vesicatory.

The Plumbago Europaea

ray
(I.

is

mentioned by

Mur-

773.

as

having been found efficacious in

the cure of cancer, for which purpose the ulcers

are dressed, thrice a day, with olive
oil,

in

which

the leaves of the plant have been infused.

authorities

The

which he quotes,

for the cures effected

;

by

this application,

are respectable

and, as our

species coincide entirely in quality with the

Plummake
a

hago Euro'pcea,
trial

it

may Jbe worth while

to

of their power, in a disease so deplorable, for

yet been discovered.

which no adequate remedy has

(1) Chitia,

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

pTEiiocjRpvs Sjntalinus. (W.) Ract ChandanO)
[^Racta

33
H.
S.

Chandana

Murray, VI.

59.

WOODVILLE, IV. 109. PuNiCA Granatum. (W.) Andr H. Dadima S.

Murray,

III.
I.

262.
158.

WoODVILLE,

The

flowers

of this beautiful shrub,

which
Bci-

v/pfe formerly well

laiistiaes, are

known under
neglected
;

the

name of

now

but the rind of the

fruit

is still

considered as one of the most useful

medicinal astringents, in cases wherein that quality, simply, is required.

This shrub affords another

its

valuable remedy,

in

the fresh bark of

root,

for

the knowledge of which

we

are

indebted to the

Hindu
'^

ph;ysicians.

See

^'

an account of an Indian

remedy

for the

tape-worm," by Dr. Buchanan,

in the Ed-inburgJi

Medical and Chirurgical Jour-

nal,

No. IX.
Toenla

p. 22.
is

The
cation,

not a

common

disorder in

Bengal

but, since the date of Dr.

several cases of
it

Buchanan's communihave occurred here to

in

Dr. Hunter, and to Dr Shoolered,

which the

bark of the pomegranate root was used with complete success,

and without having

following
is

failed in a single

instance.*
it is

The

the method in which

prepared and administered.

Eight ounces of

the fresh bark of the root are boiled, in three pints

(1)

Rukut Chundun.
its

* See some additional proofs of

efScacy in the

Appsndxx.

84
of
water;, to

X CATALOGUE OF IXDlAl
a quart.
a

Of

this decoction,

the pa*

tient

takes
at

wine-glass-full;

and repeats that

intervals,

quantity,

longer or shorter

as the

sickness and faintness,

which

it

generally occasions^

will allow

until

he has taken the whole.

The

worm

is

commonly
begun

voided, in a few hours after the

to take the medicine
alive.
;

patient has

andj not

un frequently, comes away

Rjcjyus Communis, (W.) ArendC^) H. E'randaS,

This plant

is

cultivated,

for
all

both oeconomical

and medicinal purposes, over

expressed
roj>Cy oil

Hindustan.

The
Eu^

of the seeds, so well known in

oil,
is

under the name of castor

as a purgative,
is

more gene-

rally used,

than any other medi-

cine

and perhaps there

so

no other, on which

we

may, with
at the

much

confidence, rely, as a safe, and,

cathartic.
It

same time, an active

may be
the

given, with propriety, in every case in

class

which that

of remedies

is

required,
)

(unless

when

most drastic are necessary,

and to patients of
it

every age and constitution; for though

fails to

seldom

produce the

effect

intended,

it

operates

without heat or

irritation.
in ihc^

The
rected

oil

should be expressed,

manner

di-

by the London College, from the

decorti-

cated seeds, and without the assistance of heat,

Tiiat

which

is

obtained by boiling the seeds in

(1) Vrund,

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

water,
is

55
be-,

injured both in smell and taste, and

cornes sooner rancid than the oil procured

pression.

by ex-

RuLiA Maxjit'h. (Roxb. MS.) ManjiVhi}) H.

Sp. Ch.

ManjlsVlia'^.

Peatindrjus.

Persnaial.

Scaiident.

Branches

with four hispid angles.

date, acuminate,

Leaves quatern, long-petioled, cor

Hispid.
is

5-^7 nerved.

(Uoxb. Ms.)

This
and
is

s{3ecics

of madder

indigenous ia Nepal,

used by the dyers and calicu-priiiters^ in the

as the

same manner
rope.

Rubia Tinctorum
it

is

in

Eut

Parcels of

have been frequently sent to

vas

England^ where
the best

ii

found equal
I

in quality to
it

Dutch madder.

know

not that

has
sen-

ever been tried here in medicine; but^ from

sible qualities

its

being the same with those of the

is

Rubia Tinctorum, there

it

reason to conclude that

may be found
523.

equally efficacious with that drug",

as a deobstruent and
I.

emmenagogue. See Murray^

II.

WOODVILLE,

190,^

PUTA

GR4VEQLEN.S. (W.) SatUJli U.

MuilRAYj

III.
J.

112..

WOOOVILLE,

108.

Santalum

Jldu.ii,

(W.)

Chandani'^)

JI.

Ghahdane
114.

S.

Murray,

II.

WoODVILLE, IV. 13(3. CoRDiFOUA^ (W.) Bctridlai^) H. BaVyalacaS, S^DA SiDA Rhombifolia (W.) Ldl Baridla H.
SiDA RnoMBoiDCEA. (RoxB. Ms.)
Sp. Ch.
Scifcd Bar'idla,

'

B.

Shrubby.

Erect.

Ramous.

Leaves short-petivillous.

oted, rhomboid, lanceolate,

(1) Jiunjcet'h,

serrate, 3-nerved,

Stu

(^) Chunduiu

(3) iiaryala^

36
pules setaceous.

CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
Peduncles axillary, solitary, shorter than the

leaves, one-flowered. Capsules 10,

without beak. (Roxb. Ms.)

There
Bengal
;

are several other species of the Slda ia

but

have selected these three^ as beii^g

the kinds most generally used ia medicine bj the

Hindus.
they
all

Like th^ other columniferous plants,

abound

in mucilage^
as

and are much em-

ployed by the natives

demulcents and emollients.

They

possess these virtues, in at least an equal de;

gree with our officinal Alihoea and JVLalvci

and

may

well supply their place, either for internal use,

or, externally, for fomentations,

cataplasms and enI.

emata. See

Murray,

III. 357.

Woodville,
II.

146.
S.

SiNAPis DicHOTOMA. (RoxB. MS.) Serson^i^)

Sp. Ch.
ing.

Sarshapay

Dichotomous.

Siliques cylindric, smooth, spread-

Beak straight and lower somewhat lyred.

tapering.

Leaves stem-clasping
lanceolate,

the

Superiour ovate,

entire.

All are smooth, as are also the stem and branches.

[Roxb. MS.

Sjnapis Ramosa. (I^oxb. MS.)

Sp. Ch.

Ra'iyi^)

H. Rdjicd^

S.

Annual.

Erect.

Ramous.
smooth.

Siliques expanding,

linear, vertically compressed,

Leaves petioled

low-

er lyred

superiour sublanceolate.

(Roxb. MS.)

Both

these species of mustard, as well as a third

Tori'^^)

species called

H. Tuvericd,

S.

are exten-

sively cultivated in Bengal, on account of the oil

procured from the seeds.

qualities,

In respect to medicinal

these seeds correspond exactly with the

>
,

(1) Surscn. (^)

.,

^r

i2fl,ec.

(3) Torec,

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

seed of the Sinapis

37

Mgra,

W.

and maj'beused,

with equal advantage,

ly,

as the latter, either internal-

as stimulants in

iheumatic and paralytic affecSee

tions,

or externally for sinapisms.

Muuray,

II. 398.

WooDviLLE,
Nux

III. 409,
II.

Strycii^os

Vomica. (W.) Cuchilai^)

Cuiaca

S.

MURRAYj

I.

703.
29.
\l.

WOODVILLE, IV.

Strvchnos Potatorum, (W.) Nir-mallKS)

CaiacaS.

The

seeds of the Stryclmos

JV*iix

Vomica are

reckoned amongst the most powerful of the narcotic poisons.

In Germany, nevertheless, they are

considered as medicinal,

and have been recomas effica-

mended, by many authors of that nation,

cious antispasmodics and tonics
;

but the British

physicians have prudently abstained from the use

of so dangerous a remedy

and, for the same reaif ever,

son, these seeds are seldom,

employed

ia

medicine by the Hindus.

They

are sometimes us-

ed, however, for a very pernicious purpose,

distillers,

by the

who add

a quantity of

them

in the pro-

cess of distilling arrack, to

render the spirit more

intoxicating.

The

seed3 of the Strychnos

Potatorum, though

never used in medicine, are highly valuable, to

both Europeans and natives, from the quality

>vhich they possess, of clearing

muddy

water, and

(1) Koochila

(2) JS'i'muilee,

38
rendering
the tree,
it

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
potable
;

to
it

which the
bjKcENiG,

trivial

name of

first

given to

alludes.
for a

One

of the seeds

is

rubbed very hard,

minute or

two^ round the inside of an earthen vessel, into

which the water

is

poured and

left to settle.

In a

shoft time^ the impurities subside^ and leave the

water perfectly limpid and

tasteless.
5a^7/*cfo Telingg^

SfFiETxi.iFBRiFUGA. (W.) Rohunall.

All the four species of the noble genus Szvieteriia,

are lofty ^rees, remarkable for the excellent quality

of their woo.d.

The

three following are indigen1.

ous in Hindustdn,

S.

Febrifaga, which

we

have inserted

in the catalogue,
its

on account of the
2. S,

medicinal qualities of

bark.

Chickrassa^
that name^

(RoxB.) which

affo^fds

the

wood of

esteemed by the cabinet-makers, in Calcutta, as

little
(

inferior to
)

mahogany.

S. Chloroxylon^

RoxB.
its

the

wood of which, from

its

the closeness

of

grain,

and

beautiful bright yellow colour^

has obtained, from the English in India, the name

of Satin-wood.
is

The

4th.

S.

Malic^ani (W.)^
Spaiiish America.^
this tree,

a native of

Jamaica and

The

excellence of the

wood of

and

it&

superiority to every other,

poses,
is

for all domestic

pur-

universally allowed.

The Swietenia Fehrifuga

It
is

is

indigenous in the

mountainous parts of the Rajalunundry Circar.

a large tree, rising with a straight stem ta a

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRrGS.

grc^at height.

S9
;

The wood
is

is

remarkably durable

and, on that account^,

preferred,

by the Telingas,

to any other, for the timber- works of their temples.

The bark
internally

is

covered with a rough grej^ cuticle, and

of a light red colour.
;

is

It

has a bitter,
in a strong

united with an astringent taste

degree,
to Dr.

both

particularly the bitter.

We

are indebted
its

Roxburgh

for the discovery of

its

medi-

cinal virtues.

Judging from

sensible qualities,

that

it

might possess a considerable tonic power,

for the intermittent

and prove a useful remedy

fever,

he made

trial

of

it

in several cases

of that

disease,
tion.

and found

it

fully to answer his expecta-

With
was

the view of further investigation, he

-

afterwards sent a quantity of the bark to England,

where
cess,

it

tried in the hospitals, with equal sucas a valuable substitute, ia

and considered
cases, for the

many

Cinchona,

On

that account

it

has been received by the Edinburgh college into

their pharmacopoeia, together with
its

congener,
its

the Suietenia JMahogani, with which, in

perties,
it
:

pro-

nearly coincides.

See
:

Dr. Duncan's

tentam

\i\?iu^, &e.

Soijmida

Edinh. 1794; and

the J^^ew Edinl), Disp. 1800.

The Swietcnla
gal
;

Fcl)rifuga
is little

is

not a native of Ben^

either to the
I

and therefore
or

known,

Hindu
late Dr.

European

practitioners here.
it

have

been informed, however, that

was found, by the

southward of

Kennedy,

in the hills to the

40

A CATlLOGtJE or INDIAN
it

Cliunar, where
Jiuna,

was

called,

bj the

natives,

Ro*

and

it

is

probable that this valuable tree

may

be discovered in the mountainous districts of

some of the other upper provinces.

Tamarindus
Tr^'DtCA.

(W.) Jmlii^) K. JmlicaS, MuRftAY, II. 552.

Terminalia
Termjnalja

WoODVILLE, III. 544. Bellerica. (Roxb. MS.) Bakerdii) H.

[FibhiiacaS. Bel'dej kr^ih. Bclileh. Pers.

Chebula.

(W.)

HaHS) and
fruit,

Ilarai^)

H.

[_Haritaca?^.

Ah I tlej Arab. IlalUeh

Pers,

The unripe

Zengi Hari^) H.

The

fruit of the Pliytlanihus

Emllica has been

alrejld V noticed, as

one of the kinds of the

Myrofirst

halans of the writers on pharmacy.

the Belleric,
is

Another kind,

the dried ripe fruit of the

It is

species of Tcrminalia here inserted.

about

the size of an olive, a yellowish grey colour, obovate shape, and marked with five longitudinal fur-

rows.

In sensible and medicinal qualities,

it

coin-

cides with the other kinds.

The second

species,

the Terminalici Chebula, yields several different

kinds of Myrohalans ; different names having been

given to the drupe, according to

turity,

its

degree of ma-

when taken from the

tree.

Those chiefly

used

in medicine, are the

is

Har

and the ^engi Har,

It is the largest

The Har

the dried ripe fruit.

of the Myrohalans, of an oblong, ovate shape,

,

,-^

(I) ImUe,

(2) Buhera.

(3) Ilur,

(4)

Hura

(5) Zungi

Hur.

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DftUGf.

4^

marked with
nately.
It
is

five

furrows and

five

ridges alter-

sometimes used medieinallj as a

gentle purgative, but more frequently employed

for domestic purposes,

particularly
it

by the
for

dyers,

who consume
IV. 41.

large quantities of

preparing
Res.

the cloth to receive the colours.

See As.

The Zcngi Har

is

the Indian, or black

Myro^

halan, of the pharmaceutical authors.

It differs

from the other kinds in having scarcely the rudiments of a nutj being the fruit dried in a half ripe
state.*
It is

of aa oblong, painted shape, about

* It was not until very lately that I could obtain any information res-

pecting the tree which aifords the Zengi

whom I applied, not having been able to Roxburgh, to whom I mentioned this
drug, cwnjcctured
it

give

Har ; the Hindu druggists, to me any aceount of it. Dr.

circumstance,

to

be the unripe

fniit,

o examining the of some species of Terminalia.

C^efttj^a in

The

justness of this conjecture was soon afterwards confirmed, on our in-

specting the unripe drupes of a Terminaffa

the botanic garden,

the appearance of which corresponded exactly with that af the Zengi and which, on being dried, proved to be that very fruit.

Har;

The

uncertainty in which the writers on th& Materia Medica

still

continue,

respecting the trees which yield the diflferent kinds of Myrobalans,. appears

from the following remark of Professor

*'
'

De

Murray, (Ap. Med. VI. 235.) reliquarum ( Myrobalanorum) specie botanica nihil certi pronuntiari

adhuc disputatur utrum ex diversis arboribus petitae sint, an potius ex eadem." A considerable degree of light will be thrown on the snbject, by the following extract from a Persian treatise on medicines, the Mekhxen-ul-Adviyeh of Muhammed Hosen Shira'zi, communicated to me by the kindness of Mr. Colebrookej and which, had I received it
potest, quin

sooner, would have saved

fJar.

me

the trouble of inquiring respecting the Zengi

Under the head AhliUj (the JraUck name answering

to the

Persian

Halileh) the author distinguishes the following kinds, as the produce of the same tree (Terminalia Chebula) gathered at different degrees of maturity*
1.

Halileh Zira^ gathered

ibout the size of the Zlra,

S.

when the fruit (Cumin seed.)

is just set.

Being dried,

it i

^. /aw/, when JDorc advanced. Itistbesizeofaharley-coru. (Jsh.)

43

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN

the size of a pistachio nut, of a deep black colour,

and a
terish,
isj

firm,

compact substance.

Its

taste

is

bit-

and strongly astringent.

can
iearn.,

The Zengi Har

in

as far as I

more frequently used

Enedicine,

by the

natives, than any of the other

Jdrjrohalans

being very generally employed by

It

them

as

a purgative.

operates

briskly,

but

Tsithout occasioning heat or

liable to

irritation.

Persons

rcdundanev of

bile,

habitual costiveness,

or any other complaint

which requires the frequent

use of gentle laxatives, will find this one of the

most convenient which they can

use.

The

only remaining JMyrohalan noticed by the

is

writers on pharmacy,

the Citrina.

The

tree

Avhich yields this sort has not yei been described,

but there are now growing

in

the botanic gardea

some young plants of

it

raised from seeds

)

brought

from the Malabar Coast,

Dr.

which from

their habit.

Roxburgh

thinks will prove to belong to the

genus Terminalia.
TiuGONELLA Fjenum Grjecvm. (W.) MefkiC^)!!. Merhz'S,

Murray,

II. 447.

W00DVILLE5 HI. 487.

3.

H. ZengU Hindi or
Peing dried,
(-j^itued

A svced;

"when the young fiuit

is

is

still
j

further

advanced.
its

it is

of the size of a raisin, tnd

black

whence

name,
4.

black, or Sen^^i negro.)

H.

Chini, gathered

when the nut has acquired some degree of hard^

dry,
is^

oess.
5.

The dried fruit is of a green colour, inclining to ycllovr. H. Asfery when approaching to maturity. The fruit, when

of a reddish yellow; whence the name. (Asfer^ yellow.) 6. H, Cdbuli, when the fruit is come to full maturity.
(1) MeCIiee,

Medicinal PLANts and drugs.

43

t'ALERiANAJATAMANsi. (RoxB.) JafamdnsiW. JatamdnsiS.

The

vegetable which affords the Indian J^^ard,

so celebrated

by ihe

ancients,

as a

perfume, reit

mained altogether unknown

to naturalists, until

was discovered by the

who, valuable
ject as not

late Sir

William Jones,
his
all

as his time was, considered the sub-

unworthy of his inquiry; and, with

proved,

Usual accuracy of research,

beyond
is

question, that the spikenard of the ancients

plant, called,

the

by the Arabians,

Sumbul-nl-Hind
See As. Res,

and,
II.

by the Hindus, Jatamdnsi.

405, and III. 105, 433.

It is a species

of va-

lerian,

and a native of J^apal and But an.

The

perennial, hairy portion of the stem,

immediately
dried,
is
is

above the

root,

is

the part which,

when

so

highly esteemed as a perfume; and which

also

used
it,

in medicine.
in

The Hindu

physicians prescribe
as it

chiefly,

diseases of the bowels; but,

strongly resembles, in taste, smell and flavour, the

officinal valerian,

there

is

reason to expect that

it

will be found equally efficacious with that root, as

an antispasmodic,

in epilepsy,

hysteria,

and other

convulsive disorders.

FiTEx Negundo. (W.) Nisinda and Samb'hdlui})

\_Sind^htcca

II.

and Sind'havara

S.

Lagondium Litorcum,
Bemnosi
RiiiE,^DE,

Rumph. Amb. IV.

51. tab. 19.

Hort. Mai. II. 15. tab. 11.

(1) Sumbhaloo or Sumalno,

44

X CATJkLOGUES OP INDIA.N
is

This elegant shrub

in

very generally cultivated

its beau^;y_,

Hindustan^
its

as well

on account of

as

for

valuable medicinal qualities.

situation,

It delights ia

a watery

and

is

readily propagated

by

cuttings.*

The
the

leaves of the J^sinda have a better claim td

title

of discutient^ than any other vegetable

I

remedy with which

cacy
in dispelling

am

acquainted.

Their

effi-

inflammatory swellings of the

testicles,

joints,

from acute rheumatismj and of the

from suppressed gonorrhoeaj has often excited

surprize.

my
em-

The

success with which the natives

ploy them, in these complaints, has induced some

European
I hope
it

practitioners to adopt the practice,

and

will

come

into general use.

is

The mode of

employing the leaves

simple.
is

A quantity of them,
put into an earthen
to as great a degree

pulled fresh from the tree,

pot,

and heated over the

fire,

as can be borne without pain.

They

are then ap-

plied to the part affected, in as large a quantity as

can be conveniently kept on by a proper bandage.

*

The

following curious remark of

Costa, on the

facility

with which

this tree

is

cultivated, shews the high estimation in

:

which the Negundo was

held in his time

'*

" Adeo

frequens est hujus arboris usus ad

medendum

in

illis

regionibus, ut nisi

Deus

praecisos

ramos multiplici

faetura renasci

* faceret,
*'

fuissent consumptae arbores, aut certe maximi pretii ought not, however, to have ascribed its being so mucli nunc essent." He in request solely to its medicinal virtues, having before told us. ** Muliere?

jam diu

**
*'
'*

borum foliorum decocto omni tempore universum corpus

que invasit persuasio apud
esse ad
illas

lavant; tanta<

Negundi

folia, flores et fructus, utilia

lapidibus obniturae sint."

juvandum conccptum, ut eum qui contrariura persuadere conetur A Costa, Aronat. lib. interpret. Clvs, p. S86

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

and the application
is

45

repeated, three or four times

is

a day, until the tumor

dispelled.

*<!1^5^V'0**

II.

MEJDICIMAJL JDRUGS.
I.

VEGETABLE

The
into

following vegetable drugs are imported

Hindustan from the neighbouring countries,

none of the plants which yield them being either

indigenous, or found in a cultivated state in the

Peninsula.
in

The drugs

themselves, however, arc

common

use with the native practitioners^ and

sold in all the principal bazars.

jiNiSE Seed. Sonf H. Satapushpd
S.

Ptmptnella

Amsum. ^Woodville,
H. Hinga
^
S.

III. 490.

JsA roETiDd,

Ilingi^)

. ^ , r ^1 Ferula Asa >^^^-

(Murray,

IV. 358.
I.

Woodville,

22.

Benzoin,

Lubdni^) H. and Arab.

Sii/rax Benzoin.
c,,

^Murray, IV. 540 and

^Woodville,
II. 200.

659.

Cajeput Oil.

Cajtiputu^ Malay.

(xMurray, III. 313. %r 1 1 T J J Melaleuca Leucodendron. ^Woodville, IV. 44.

Melaleuca Cajuputi. Ph. Lond. 1809.
Hung.
L9cHnt

(1)

(2)

45
Camphor, r^

A CATAtOGUfi OF INDIAN
Carphnra
(

Cafitri^)^.

S.
41.^.

r
^

T.

<MURR\Y, IV.
II.

VVOODVILLE, IV. 65.

490.
66.

China Root.
c-

Chub
/

Chhim
ri.'
(

(Murray,
in

I.

WoODVILLE, IV.

This root was formerly held

in EuQ^opCj
as a

high estimation^
disease
;

remedy

for the venereal

its

but has long been superseded, bj

congener, the

Smilax Sarsaparilli

yet this last has been^

by
as a

some authors o^ ^reat authority^ considered

very inert substance, and scarcely possessing
medicinal virtue whatsoever.*

any

Those who judge

may,
in

more favourably of
where
it

its

efficacy^

cases

cannot be procured, have recourse to the

as

China root,

a substitute.
''

Dr.

Woodville,
the

after observing that,

^^
'^^^

like the Sarsaparilla,

China root contains a considerable share of bland

nutritive matter," adds,
**

that

it

appeared to

*'

him not

less

adapted to the auxiliary purposes

If the sanative virtue of these

'^

of medicine, "f

roots depends on this nutritive matter,

which

is

probably the case, the China root would seem to

claim the preference; as
,

it

contains

it

in a

much
dif-

larger proportion^ amounting to upwards of half

the weight of the root;

ficulty in estimating
I

;j;

but there

is

much
""

~
(1) Kafoor,

the comparative
'

Chob Cheenee.

efficacy

of

(2)
p. 371.

J. Hunter. Ven. Dis.

Edinb.

Cullen. Mat. Med.

p. 200.

Duncan,

New

Disp.

Etl.

1806.

+ Med. Cot. IV.

G7.

^ Aikix's Lewis. Mat. Med. II. p. 331.

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

47

medicines of such moderate activity as the two in

question.

The China roat was formerly much

here; and, as far as I could
experience,
its utility,

used

in the hospitals

judg-e from

my own

either

as an auxiliary to mercury, or for

improving the
is

general health, after the use of that remedy,

least

at

equal to that of the Sarsaparilla.

Laimgi^) H. Lavanga
.

Clofes:.

S.

Caryophijaus Aromaticus,

,.

Murray,

TIT.

vVoodville,

II.

333. 366.

CoLUMBO Root.

Kalumb, Mosambique.
rMuiifiAY, VI. 153.

Radix ColomhcB. ^ VVqodville, IV. 164. ^A^iat. Res. X. 38$.

See the interesting account of this valuable root

in the 10th

volume of the

Asiat. Res.

It

is

to

be

hoped, that by Dr. Berry's meritorious exertions,

we may
country,
CuBEBS,
Calls,

soon have the plant cultivated in this

Cubab

Chinii!^)

H.

Vipei-

Cubeba.

Murray, V.
Murray,
I.

37.
S.

(AUeppo) Majii

F'ham

H. Maju P'hal
102.
II.

Quercus Cerrls.

Quercus Robur.
QambijI'

Woodyillj:,

346.

Gambir

II.

from the Malay.

Roj;jb. PI, Cor. III.

Uiicaria Gambeer,

Funis Uncatus.

Naucha Gambir.

Rumph. Amb. V. 63. Hunter, Lin. Trans. IX.

318.

This substance

is

used,

by the inhabitants of the

Malay

countries, for

manducating with the Betel

in the

leaf and

Areca

nut,

same manner
(n)

as the

(1)

LaanS^

(2) K:o,lah Chsznce.

Majuo P'hul

48
Catechu
is,

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN

by the

natives of Hindustan.

It is

prepared from the leaves of the shrub above referred to,

(which belongs

to a genus nearly allied to

1
.

the J^auclea) in two different modes.

By
for

boil3,

ing the leaves, and inspissating the decoction.

By

infusing the leaves, in

warm

water,
is

some

hours,

when

a faecula subsides, which

inspissated

by the heat of the

sun, and formed into small cakes.

last

The Gamhir,
the best.

prepared in this

mode,

is

by

far
it

In appearance, and sensible qualities,

its

resembles the Catechu, as also in

properties.
Its taste is

medicinal

powerfully astringent, and

at first bitter, but afterwards sweetish.

Tried by
to contain

the gelatine

test,

the

Gambir appears

more of the Tannin

principle, than any other veit

getable astringent ; and, were

price,

not for

its

high

would be a most valuable material

for the

preparation of leather.

Gamboge,

Gahkatu^

Singalese.

Stalagmitis Gambogioides.

Murray, IV.

106

654,

Manna. Shtrkhisshti}) H. and P. Terenjabin^ Arab. Manna Persicum, Fothergill, Phil. Tr. XLIII.4T.

The manna

sold in the bazars here,

is

is

imported

from Bussorah, and

the same with that described

in the paper to

by Dr. Fothergill,
referred.

which
is

have

The

plant

which

yields
(

it,

supposed
is

to be the

Hedysartim Alliagi

L.

It

a very

(1) SheerieUshU

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

impure kind^ and
Caldbrian manna.
far inferior,
in quality,

49
to the

Myrrh,

Murr and

Bol^ H. Bbla

S.

Nutmegs.
The Mace.

VI. 213. Mvrrha 5^"^^^ay, '*^^''^''^* ^WOODVILLE, iV. 167. JdephalW H. Jdtiphala S.
Jawatri^X) H. Jdtipatrz S.

Myristica Aromatica,
Myristica Moschata.

Murray, VI.
Woodville,

135.

II. 363^

Rhubarb,

Revand Chimi^} H.
^

CMURRAY, IV. 36% or n r ^ Rheum Palmatum, Woodville, I. 127.

Sago,

Saiuddnd H.
Sagusj Rumphu.

Murray, V.

13.

Sago

is

procured from the trunks of several

other palms, beside that mentioned

by Murray.

An

excellent kind

is

prepared from the tree called,

by RuMPHius, Gomutus Gomuto, (Amb. 1. 57.) and by Dr. Roxburgh, Saguerus Rumphii, (MS)
This tree
fibres
is

also valuable,

on account of the black;

at the insertion

which surround the trunk

of the leaves ; which afford a stronger and more

durable cordage for ships, than any other vegetable substance.
Sjlep.

Salib MisRii.^) H. and Arab.

^ , T^ , Orchis Mascula.
.

(Murray, V.
|woodville,

278.
II. 246.

ScjMMONY.
,,

Siikmunyai^) H. and Arab.

,

^ Convolvulus
,

(Murray, VI. 71(5. r, o.cammoma. <^v t , ( VVOODVILLE, 1. 13.

,

te
(1) Ja^tphuL

(2) Juwutree,

(3)

Rewund

Cheenee*

(4) Salib Hiifee,

(5) StioqmoQnit/a,

50
tSjcNNA

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
Leaves,

Send
.

MecciC^) H.
i

Send Arab.
II.
'

cCassia *3enna. <

Murray,
^.r

WoODVItLE,

505. ttt y,Aei 111. 446,

2.

MINERAL.
S.

I- LAD,

Sisai^)

n. Sisaca
oxide,

The white

Saftda H.

The

red oxide, Sinduri^)

H. Sindura

S.

The semivitreous oxide, Murddr Sengi^) 11. & P. Iron, Lbka H. Loha & Jijas S. The Carbonate, KiVhi^) H. Mandura 8c Sinhana S, The Sulphate Cfl>(6) H. Copper, Tdmbd H. Tdmra S. The Subacetite, Zangdr & PUrai H. Pitalatd S. The Sulphate, Tutiya{1) H. Tw^'Aa S. Rdngd H. Ranga & Trapu S. T/N".
The Sulphuretj Surmehi^) H. Saubira
S.

The

proper grey ore of antimony

is

imported
lead;, is

from JVapalj but a galena or sulphuret of

frequently sold for
it

in the bazars,

under the

name of Surmeh,
Arsenic.

The white oxide, SamuUk'hai^i^) H. Sanc^hya S. The yellow Sulphuret, Haridli^O) H. Haritdla S.
The
red Sulphuret, 3/aw527(ll)

H. Manah Sila

S.

QujCK'SiLVER,

Pdra H. Pdrada

S.

The

red Sulphuret, Shengerfi^'^) H.

sub-muriate, llaycapwr(13) H.

(1) Sun Mukkee.

(2) Secsa.

(3) Sindoor. (8) Soorm.

(4) Moordar-Sung,

<5)
(10)

JTec^V/.
JFTur/flL

(6) ifNWS.

(7) Toot'nja.

(9) S urn- ool- Khar,

(11)

ilfMnszV.

(12) Shungvrf,

(13) Ruskupoor^

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

Shengerf, or factitious cinnabar,
the natives in a very simple mode.
silver
is

51

prepared by

The quickput

and sulphur are

sulphuret

first
is

triturated together,
is

until a black

formed, which
similar to those

into a glazed earthen pot,

comano-

monly used

for dressing victuals.

is

Over

this,

ther vessel, of the same kind,

placed, inverted,
is

and luted to
the

it

w^ith clay.
vessel,
is

Fire

then applied to

undermost

and

continued until the

whole of the contents

is

sublimed.
;

The apparatus

then suffered to cool

when

a cake of cinnabar

is

found adhering to the inner surface of the up-

permost pot.

Skengerf
titioners,

is

used, internally,

by the native prac-

as

an antispasmodic, and for the cure of

it is

cutaneous diseases; but

efficaciously

employed much more

such cases

by them

in fumigation, for

of the venereal disease as are attended with ulcers

in the nose,
is

mouth and

throat.

The fumigation
making the

conducte-d in the usual mode, by

patient,

with a blanket thrown over him, inhale

the fumes of the Shengerf thrown on red hot iron.

In this mode, the cure

is

performed very rapidly,

but

it

frequently causes a violent and dangerous

is

ptyalism; nor

the patient always secured by

it

against a relapse of the disease.

Rascapur

is

another mercurial preparation, in

great esttmation, and

much

used by both the

Hindu

62

k CATALOGUE OF INDlAtJ
practitioners.
it,

and Miihammedan

There are

Vlri*

ous modes of preparing

tially different

but none of them essenIn all of them

are employed in

from the others.

quick-silver and

Muriate of Soda

equal parts^ with the addition of either Sulphate

of Alumine or Sulphate of Copper.

ness of Dr.

By

the kind-

Hunter

have now^ ^jing before

me
*

three different processes for making Rascapur

one taken from a Persian, and the two others from

Sanscrit pharmacopoeias.

The

first,

which
is

is

the

simplest and least uncertain of the three>

as follows
:

literally

" Take
"^
*^ *' *'
'^

quick-silver^

Armenian

Bole,*
is

Alum,
better')

{'

some prefer blue

Salt,

vitriol,

but alum

Rock
in a

of each nine parts.

Rub
let

the whole

mortar with water, and

them harden.
;

Then put

the mass into a glazed earthen vessel

it,

and place inverted, above

sel,

another similar ves-

"
'^
''

plastered with ashes, and the milk of

D'hatu*
clay,
in

ra.

Lute them together with Philosopher's

and keep them three days and three nights

'^ fire
'^
^'
''

made with cow dung.

Then

let

the vessels

cool,

and take out what adheres to the bottom

vessel.

and sides of the upper

eapur/*

This

is

the -Ras-

The

quick-silver, in this preparation,

less

is

combin-

ed with a

proportion of the muriatic acid, than

in corrosive sublimate,

but with a much greater

MEDICINAL PtANTS
proportion of
it

ANt)

DRUGS.
It is used,

53

than in calomel.
all

by

the native practitioners, for

the purposes for

which the two

preparations, just mentioned, are

It requires,

employed by the European.

Ver, to

howe-
is

be prescribed with great caution, as it

not

only one of the most powerful mercurials that can

be ventured on

for internal use,

but uncertain

in its

strength, on account of the different processes

by

which

it

is

made.

European

practitioners need
it
;

never, I think, have recourse to

as quick-silver

may always be procured from

which,
safer,

the bazars, with

and equally efficacious remedies may

be prepared.

Nitrate of PotAsn. Shora H. Yavashdra II. SuLPURic Aciii, GandaC'Ca Atri}) H. Sulphate of Soda. Ohard Nun{^) H. Sulphate of Alvmine. P^hitcarii^) H. Sp*haticei S. Impure Carbonate of Soda. Sejji-mitti(S) H.. Sarjicd S. Muriate of Ammonia. Nbsdderi^) 11. Muriate of Soda. Nemeci.^) H. Muriate of Soda, fused with the fruit of Phyllantbus
Emblica, Bit-lab ani'^) Socheli^) and Cdla Nemeci^) Vida and Sauverchald S.
H<,*

The

following process

for

making

this

salt,

was communicated,

by a

native

druggist,

to

Mr. TuRNBULt>
formed
in his

at

Mirzapore, and actually per-

presence.

Mr. Colebrooke
(3) P'hiikuree.

in*

(1) Gunduk-ka'utr

(2) K'hara Noon. (5) Nosadur

(4) Sujee-muttee,
(7)

(6)

Numuk.

Bit'luiun*

(8) Sochttf,

(9) Kala-numuk^

54
forms

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN

me

that

it

nearly

corresponds with the

process which he found described in a Persian

treatise
'^
''

on medicines.
(

''

Fifty six pounds of 5a-

7nur salt
lake of

a muriate of Soda, got from a salt

that

name)

are

mixed with twenty

'^ '^
**"

ounces of dried Aonlas, ( Ernblic Myrohalans.)

One

fourth of
earthen
is

these materials
pot,

is

put into a

round

with

narrow mouth,

^' *'
'^ '^
^'

which

put on a fire-place made of clay.

The

fire-place has a hole at the bottom, for introduc-

ing the fire-wood

After the

fire

has been light-

ed about an hour, and the materials in the pot appear to be melted, the
rest

of the materials
is

is

*'

added by degrees.

The whole

then exposed

'^ ''

to a strong red heat, for about six hours.

fire is

The

then allowed to die away, and the pot to

^^
'' ''

cool

which, upon being broken,

is

found to

contain about forty-eight pounds of Cdla

ov Bit'laban/*

Nemec,

The
railed,

Bit'lahan, or Bit-noherij as
is

it is

sometimes

a medicine

in great estimation,

with both
;

the

Hindu and Muliammedan

as a tonic in dyspepsia

physicians

but

particularly with the former.

It is

yexy generally
as a deobs-

used

and gout,

truent in obstructions of the spleen and mesenteric

glands, diseases to

which
;

children,

in

Hindustan,

are peculiarly liable

and

as a stimulant in chronic

rheumatism and palsy.

It is also

one of the

many

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS.

remedies employed as a vermifuge.

55

For a further
on the

account of this
'*
^'

salt,

see

''

dissertation

JBlt-noben,

by John Henderson^, of the Ben8vo. Lond. 1803/'

carried some of the

gal medical establishment.

Mr. Henderson having

Bit-no ucn to England,
it

was analysed by Mr.

AccuM^ and

the result was as follows:

salt

Four hundred and eighty grains of the

Black oxide of Iron
Sulphur
Muriate of Lime
Muriate of Soda
14

yielded

6 Grains.
12

444

476
Loss
,

480

Nicholson's Journal for August, 1803.

From

this analysis

we may

conclude^ that the

virtues of Bit-lahan, beyond

what may be

fairly

ascribed to the JVIuriate of Soda, depend on the

proportion of iron contained in

it.

part of this

metal was probably obtained, during the process^

from the Myrohalans.

Impure Borate of Soda,

c.

Sohdgd H. Ta?icdna

S.

inflammable*

Sulphur. Gandhaci'^) H. Gandhaca SPetroleum. Mittiteli^) 11. Neft Arab.

(1) Gund-huk, (2) Mifte".
f'\

59

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
oil is

This mineral
also

imported from Persia and

country.

from the

Burma

See an account of

the Petroleum wells near Rainanghong, hy Capt,

Cox,

in the 6th Vol.

oil is

of the As. Res.

in the bazar,

The

met with,
j

of very

differ--

ent degrees of purity

sometimes perfectly limpid

and thin

at other times of a

dark brown colour,

and of the consistence of syrup.

ly should be used in medicine.

The

first sort on-t

It has a strongs,

penetrating, not disagreeable smell, and a pungent,

acrid taste.

It is

very generally employed by the

native practitioners externally, as a stimulant ia

paralytic complaints, and in chronic rheumatism.

In this
ence,

last disease,
it

I can,

from

my own
it,

experi^
;

recommend

as an efiScacious

remedy

hav-

ing found

much

greater benefit from

oil,

than fron>

the more costly Cajeput

ly used. ^MBER,"^

which

had previous^

Cah-ruhai^) H. and P.
I)

iliiijljll

11

.MJIH

111.1

imported from Bussora^ which, is also sold in the bazar, under the name of Cahruba or Amber; but which 1 found, on examination, to be real Copal^* the resin so much used, in England^ as a varnish. This subis

concrete, resinous substance,

passes, at the

Calcutta Custom-house, and

stance

is

used for the same purpose by the coach-makers in Calcutta.

finest

It

resembles so perfectly the

jewellers

amber, in colour and texture, that the

make necklaces of it, which pass for those of genuine Amber^ and from which it is extremely difficult to distinguish them. The Copal is, I believe, the produce of the Valeria Indicoy a tree which grows on the Malabar Coast. I was favoured by Dr. Roxburgh with a specimen of the
resin of that tree

and found it, both in appearance and ehemical qualities^ ; to coincide entirely with genuine Copal.
(1) Kuhrooba,

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS,

3.

57

ANIMAL,
P.
S.

Musk.

Me^hH\) H. and

^MBCRGRisE.

Jmberd^) H. Amhara

Considerable

quantities

of this substance are

sometimes brought to Calcutta, by the command-.

ers of trading vessels
,

who

find

it

floating on the

Jridian Oceaiiy or adhering to rocks, chiefly

among

ths Moluccas and other islands to the eastward.

It
is

esteemed^ by the natives, as the most agreeable

of

all

perfumes, more especially by the

TJieir physicians consider
it

Mahum^
an
impor-

medans.

also as

Aphrodisiac^ a class of medicines of

Q;reat

tance in their pharmacopoeias, but which probably

contains not a single article that has any claim to

that

title.

IJoyEY.

Medhdi^) H. Shehedii) P. Medhil

^.

Wax.
J^AC.

Mom

H. and P. Medhuch-hif^hta

S.

Lnc'h and

Lah H. Lacsha

S.

JJiRUDO Medicinalis. (L.) J6wc(5) H. JelaucdS.

Leeches are found,

part of Hindustan,
ral bleeding
is

in stagnant waters,

in

every

In a country in which gene-

so

much

seldomer required or ad-

missible than in cold climates, and where conse-

quently the practitioner must more frequently have

recourse to topical bleeding,
this animal^
it
is

fortunate that

so convenient for the latter purpose;^

can at

all

times be procured.

(1)

Jfws/;/:.

(^) Umbur. (4) Shtihud,

(Sy
(5) Jonk,

Mud or Mudhoe

58

A CATALOGUE OF INDIAN
(L.) Teliniin H.

Mlo CicmoREt

Mylabris Cichorei.

Fabric.

Sp. Insect. I. 330.

See in the 5th

vol.

of the As. Res. a very full

this species

and accurate description of

of Meloe

hy

Col.

Hardwicke,

to

whom we
is

are indebtecl

for discovering that the insect

a native of these

provinces, and for bringing

it

to our notice as

an
flj.

excellent substitute for the Spanish blistering

It abounds in various districts of Bengal,

Bahar,
;

and Owde, particularly

ing which
it is

in the rainy season

dur-

found feeding on the flowers of the

plants,

cucurbitaceous

and naost

frequently on

those of the species of cucumber called by the natives Turdi^^^

(cucumis acutangulus

W. )

Xt is
spe-.

also

met with on the flowers of the numerous

and Hibiscus.
its

cies of Sida

The

three transverse

undulated black bands on

yellow elytra or wing-

cases, constitute a conspicuous specific character,

by which
species

it is res^dily
;

distinguished from the other

of Meloe

but

it

should be observed

that the breadth of the stripes varies considerably in

different individuals,
gists

and therefore some entomoloElytra nigra , fas^

make

the Sp. Charact.

ciis trihus Jiavis, instead

of Elytra Jiava, fasciis,

tribus nigris*
I nm
i

n i Bii T-' i

iM.

ta

ii

i.i

ii

nt

1,4

i ii

ie=aa

(1) TeUnee.

(2) Tooi-u^ee.
is

The Meloe Cichorei

yery widely dispersed, beinj found

in all

the

warm

counfries of Europe And jida^

from Calabria
it.

to China, (yfmcenit.
aijid

^cad.

VI. 138) alioia Egi^pt (Hass2.qi;isx.

410 No. 101)

about the Cape.

MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS,

Meloe Trianthemm,
AiitenncB.

59

Moniliform, tapering upwards, black.

thie

Head,

Gibbous, broader than

thorax, inflected, black,

ininutely punctured.

Thorax.
Elytra.

Ovate, rounded, s-hining black.

\ shorter than the

bod/,

flexile,

black with s steel

blue gloss, minutely punctured.

Wings.

Length of the
Sides
c>f

el/tra,

brown, transparent.
the dorsal line and rest of

Abdomefi,

a tivid orange red, with a line of small

;

Llacik dots, one

on eaeh segment

the

body nearly of ^Prussian blue.

Black, the
tibia terminated

Legs.

with two slender spines,

the tarsi of the hinder legs S-jointed, the rest 4-jointed.

The

female
flj,

is

nearly twice the size of the male.

This

which

for medical purposes

is

fully as

valuable as the preceding, I believe to be a

species of

new

Meloe

do not at

least

find
it

any of
can be

those described in the system to which

referred.
it

We

are indebted for the knowledge of

to Dr.

Adam Burt^ who

discovered

it

in the

fields

around Muttra, when he was superintending

It

surgeon of that station in 1809.

abounds

in

every part of the Doab, and in the districts on the

right bank of the

Jumna, which
(

is

fortunate, as
is less

the other species

the

Mdoe

Cichorei)

fre-

quently met with in that quarter of the country.

of Good Hope.

(WuLFEN.

Insect. Capens.

It.

/3, 4

8f

6.)

Naturalist*

tiave agreed to refer the Cantharisof the ancients to this species,

and the folPoten-

lowing character of that insect by Pliny, which he has evidently transcrib-

ed from DioscoRiDEs, makes the supposition extremely probable.

Tcrsas habent,

tissimae inter omnes (Cautharidcs) variae, luteis liaeis quas in pennis trans-

multum

plagues.
1.

(Naiuhal Uisi* IV*

6i)7.

Edit, Harduiid

16^.)

vide Amxny, Acad,

c.

60

k CATALOGUE 6T INDlAIf
insect appears early in the rainy season.
It
lai

The

seldom seen on the wing, but generally running on

the ground, particularly in fields overrun with the

common
dalled

plant the

Trianthema Decandra

(W.)
it

by the

natives
it

Bis Copra^^^ which proba-

bly furnishes

with nourishment, though

sometimes observed feeding on the flowers of the

Solanum MelongenaW (Baigan^^^ H. Ki rtd ci

.

S. )

The orange

red colour of the abdomen,

with tho

black dot on each of the sqgments^

discriminative specific character.

form a good

Dr.

Burt having discovered

recommended
fly,
it

the property

which

this insect possesses of being a safe

and efficacious

epispastic,

as a substitute for the

Spanish blistering
tions the use of
it

and by his meritorious exer-

has been introduced in all the

hospitals of the upper provinces.

Although the
than the

J\I.

Cichorei

is

more widely spread

not so abundant in
the

M.

TrianthenicSj

it is

any one province

as the latter

is in

Doab, nor

have we yet been able

to collect the flies of the

foniier species in any considerable

number

for use;

whereas, during
ply of the

last

August and September a sup-

M,

Trianthemce was gathered suflicient

to serve the

two medical depots of

month.

^AL^rah

and

Cawnpore

for a twelve

(1) Beuk'hiipra,

(S) Bvegurit

MfitilCINAL PLANTS

AKD

DRUGS.'

61

Both these
skin,

species of Meloe,
effects

when

applied to the
to

produce

precisely

similar
(

thos3

caused by the Lytta Vcsicatoria

L.

for

which

they will be found perfectly adequate substitutes,

whether

as external stimulants, as rubefacients, or

for raising a complete blister,

according io the

mode

in

which they are

Lytta

applied, and

much

superior

in efficacy ^o the
fly is

in the state in

which that

frequently sent out from England.

flies

The

should be gathered

in the

morning or

evening, and immediately killed

by the steam of
and put

boiling vinegar, after which they should be tho-

roughly dried by the heat of the

bottles to preserve

sun,,

into

them from moisture*

APPENDIX,

JL

he following

are the cases referred to at

page

3d in confirmation of the efficacy of the bark of

the root of the

Pomegranate

tree as a

remedy

tot

the tape-worm.

Case

Communicated hy Dr. William ItuxTEit.

Dec,

9,

1805.
for four years

" James Foxton has

^'

and nine

months been subject to the Tcenia, and passed

fragments of
the
first
it

^'
^'
''

from time to time.

Previous to

appearance of this complaint, he belongin dock,

;

ed to a ship

on the side of the river opand used to drink the water

"
^'

posite to Calcutta

of the neighbouring tanks.

To

the use of that

It

^^

water he ascribes his complaint.

was

in

the

"^
''

beginning of the rainy season, when the water

was muddy

but he did not perceive that

taste^

it

had

^^
c'
k

any particular

He

has also at present an

intermittent fever.

APrENDIX.
'^
**
*' '^

63
remedies were

January

4,

1806.

Proper

given him for the fever, from which he has

now

been free for a considerable time.

directed

This day I

him

to take a tea-cupful of the dccoc-

*'
'* ^'

tion of the fresh bark of the root of the

Pome^

granafe

tree,

made by

boiling halfa pound of

the bark in three pints of water to a pint and an

half.

^'

This he took

in doses

of from a tea-spoonits

*' fill
''

to a table-spoonful without

producing any

effect.
"^

January

5.

Began

early in the morning to

"take
^'

the decoction in doses of a wine-glassful

every half hour, and before eleven^ a.m. had taken about a pint, without experiencing any
sickness except a little after the first dose.

^^ if

At
toFoi:

noon passed two Tteni^B, one of which was

^'

entire,

the other broken off near the head.

Both
feet.

"
*'

gether measured

nearly thirty three

about an hour before the expulsion of the worms

Jie felt

"
^'
^'

a sense of weight with

sliglit

pain in the
cara^

lower part of the abdomen.

aLwa,y alive.
'*

The worms

January

6.

Took the remainder

stool

of the de-

^'
^'

coction,

which produced a

with some small

fragments of the

worm

probably the head of

off.

f^

the Tania \yhich was broken

" January
*^

8.

Has passed no more worms

is

has

a good appetite^ and says he

quite well,"

Case
This and the
l)r.

11.

fzro foUozcing cases zcere

communicated through

Adam Bvrt^

by Dr. William Pollock^ Assistant

Surgeon of U. M, SSd Regiment,

''
^*

George Rose, aged

a,

thirty, has

been io Jn-

dla three years and

''

half.

April,

1810,^-^Has passed at

diflFerent

times

"
*'

small portions of the tape-worm, to the presence

of which in hi

boweU he

attributes a constant

" gnawing sensation at the stomach, and a purg" ing, which he has had for several dajs.
'^
'

He took two

pounds af the decoction of the

fresh bark of the

Pomegranate

root,

which

oc-.

'
'
'^ '^ ''

casioned considerable sickness at the stomach,

without vomiting
sed an entire
Ions:.

and

in

the afternoon he pasfifteen feet

it

worm

alive,

upwards of

It lived

for a considerable
it

time after

was passed.

At one end

was upwards of an
about the

" inch broad,

*'

at the other it tapered to

tenth of an inch.

" The Diarrh(ea soon ceased, he returned

to,

"

his duty,

and he thinks now (5th July) that he

tape-worm, as he ha^

" has
"
felt

entirely got rid of the

nothing of

it

since."

The

decoction used in tbis and the two foliowioj cases was prepared

as directed pa^c S3*

APPENDIX.

C^

Case
'^
*'

III.

Thomas Secher, aged

twenty-nine,

has been

five years in India.

" June
**

21^ 1810.

Has

passed for years small

bits

of the tape-worm, and from different medinatnre of which he does not

'^ *'
'^

cines, the

know

far-

ther than that they purged

him

briskly.

He says

he has at different times passed them some yards

long.
'^

"

Took two pounds of

the decoction without

""
*'
'*

any sickness, and in the afternoon passed an entire

worm

of the same shape and appearance as

it

that in the former case, only that

all coiled

was dead,

'^

up

into knots,
less

and when unravelled

*'

measured no
i^^i in length.
*'

than two or three and twenty

*'

He was

asked yesterday (5th July) and he

*' *^

said

he had never since been troubled with the

tape-worm."

Case IV.
'^

John EllwSl, aged

twenty-eight, has been

*'

five years in India.

''

June

21, 1810.

Says that

for a long time

he

'^
^'

has been in the habit of passing pieces of the

tape-worm.

^ Took

the decoction with considerable difScuI-^

1

66
*'

AVTEsmx.
after-^

iy from sickness at the stomach, and in the

''
*' ^'

noon passed an entire worm,

sembling the other two, and

in

shape exactly remeasi

i:ing

in length

upwards of twelve
^'

feet.

Was

asked yesterday (5th July) and said he

^'

thought himself cured of the tape-worm."

Case V.
Cotnmunzcafed hy the patient himself^ who
ter in the
is

a skip carpen-

employ of Messrs, Kyds.

As nothing can be

more

satisfactory than his

own account of it ^ I transcribe

his letter verbatim.

ee

Sir,

" Agreeably
'^
''

to

your request

I send

you a desmedicine

cription of

my
I

case, after taking the

recommended

for the

cure of the tape-wornt.

" The medicine

''

took was not prepared exactly

according to the prescription you gave me, for I

"^ ^^

could not procure the proper quantity of the

tree.

What

I took

was prepared

as

follows

" Two ounces of the

'^
''

fresh bark of the root of the

Pomegranate
half of water

tree

were boIBB
to three

in

a pint and a

down

quarters of a pint.

'^

In the morning at six o'clock I took a wine-glassful,

*'
^'
^'

and continued

to take a wine-glassful every

half hour until I had taken altogether four wineglassfuls.

was not able

so very

to take
faint,

any more,

it

l[

had made me

weak,

and

sick,

with

APPENDIX.
^<
*'

67

a small degree of
I

cramp

in botli I

my

l^gs, so that
situst-

could hardly stand.

remained in this

"
''

tion until eleven o'clock,

and then

threw the

most part of the medicine up^gain, after which

I

'^

got some ease and began to feel a

little

appc-

'' tite.
''

At two o'clock

I parted

with a

worm

of

twenty-one

feet in length,

and after that

I felt

^' *' ^'

quite well but very weak.

Next morning the

I

weakness had quite

ever I was in

left

me, and

was

as well as

my

life.

"
'^

prepared the medicine the night before, as I^

it 1

thought

would be

easier taken if cold

thaa

^'
''

warm.
years,

have had the complaint for these three

and have tried many different medicines,

until this last

^-

but without effect,

ed successful.

which has provto see

^'

As you may wish

it

the

^-

worm,

herewith send
''

for

your inspection.*

am.
*^

Sir,

Your

ob't serv't

^'

J.

CALMAN.

Kidderpore, April 13, 1810.''

It appears

from

this case that the decoction

effect,

may

be administered with
a

though prepared with

is

much
is

less

proportion of the bark than

usually

directed.
tions

This, for patients of delicate constituis

a desirable circumstance, and

also

worth

*
tlie

The \^orm in this case proved to be the Tania Solium, and those of Other cases wre probably of the same species.

6S

APPjSNDIX.

attendlns; to with a

view to economv
tree
is

in

situations

whfire the

Pomegranate

scarce.

Two

more

cases of Tcenia, in

which the remedy

success^

in question

was used with compleat

have

lately been

communicated to me by the

patients

themselves, one a respectable merchant in Calcutta/

the other a j^entleman in the civil service, but as

the circumstances of these cases were nearly the

same with those of the preceding,

to detail them.
I

it is

unnecessary

shall

therefore only mention

that in both instances the

worms were voided entire

within a few hours, after the administration of the

medicine.

The
in

facts

above stated fully evince the remark-

able power of the bark of the

Pomegranate root
will,

removing the tape-worm^ and

it is

think,

warrant the conclusion that

more

efficacious

remedy

for that

complaint than any other which

has yet been discovered, without excepting even the Fern root,^ the celebrated remedy of

Madame

NuFFER.

The Fern

root itself

is

a substance of

scarcely any activity, and if used alone

would probut a dose

bably be found of very

little

service,

of calomel and scammony,

(as originally directed

by Madame Nuffer,)
thartic,, is

or

some other strong ca-

generally given to the patient two hours

Aspiditim jilix mas. Smith's, Ftor. Brit. <lMtRRAY, V. 453 r> rr Pol^i^odfumJiUxmas. J^yoox,vin.E, I. 136
, ,

APPEIiTDIX.
after

m
a cure
is

he has taken the Fern root, and most physi-

cians are of opinion that

when

effected,

the merit ought chiefly, if not wholly, to be attributed to the cathartic*

erful assistance^ the

Even with

this

pow-

Fern root

often disappoints

expectation.

The bark

of the Pomegranate root

has not hitherto, so far as I have been able to discover, failed in any one case in
given.
I

which

it

has been

would not however

rest its superior effiit

ini

cacy on that ground only, our experience of

being as yet comparatively scanty, but when
addition to that,
activity

we

take into consideration the

which

it

shews immediately on being reits

ceived into the stomach, and the quickness of

operation in dislodging the
assistance of

worm without
it

the

any other medicine,

seems reason-

able to expect that this

Indian remedy will prove

more generally successful than the Swiss.

For
this

valuable acquisition to their Materia

Medica, European practitioners are indebted to

Robert Home,
which brought
'^

Esq. by

whom

was favoured

with the following account of the circuu^stances

it

to his knowledge.

My

servant

Taroo had

been long plagued

*'

with the tape-worm, for which he had taken

* See

Simmon's account of the Taniaj &c. Lend.

1118,

CuLLEN. Mai. Med.

II. 41.
I.

MuRR.vy & W00DVHLE5

c,

70
'^
^^ cc
(C

APPENDIX.

many medicines
doctor without

prescribed for
effect,

him by a Hindu

when meeting one day

his,

with an old acquaintance of

Fakir, named

Mussuhnan
men-

Azim Shah, he

accidentally

''

tinned his complaint to him.

The Fakir imr

*^

mediately said I will cure you; no one else here

can.

^^ '^

He

accordingly gave him a medicine

effect.

which had the desired

troubled with the same

When

was

^^

complaint in

1801,

'^
'^

Taroo informed me how he had

and said
if I

been cured,

would take the medicine he would

certain he could do far a little
try,
a,nd

''

endeavour to ^ei the receipt from the Fakir,

''
''

which he was
uiouey.
I

begged h5 would

he suc^
I lost

^^

ceeded by paying two gold-mohurs.

tiaie in

no

'^
''

having the medicines, (a powder and a

decoction) prepared according to the receipt,

I first took the

^'

powder, and after

it

a tea-cupful

*^

of the decoction,
I then took at a time.
it

which was

instantly rejected.

^^

in the

quantity of a tea-spoonful

^' *'
.'*"

Even
I

this small dose excited

some

nausea which

endeavoured to keep

off

by

walking about the room.

In this manner I got

'^

down a

tea,-cupful in the space of

two hours.
it

^' '^
*^
'^

The

sensation

which

I felt in

swallowing

was

as if the

mucus of the mouth,

fauces and gullet

was compleatly absterged.

after I

In a few hours
I

had taken the decoction,

was relieved
entire^

['

from the

worm which came away

and

APPENDIX.
*'

^1
I

was

thirtj-six feet in length.

have not since

^*

had any return of the complaint."

JSovember
litli

1810.
his

Mr. HoME^ gave an account of

cure to
Calcutta, and imparted to

remarkable
in

Alexander Russell, Esq. surgeon

him
at the
tlie

same time

the Fakir's receipt for

remedy by which it had

after

been

effected.

Mr. Russell,

some further

proofs of the efficacy of the medicine,

commuits

nicated the receipt, for the purpose of

being

made

publick, to Dr. Francis

it

Buchanan, who
IX. No. of the

accordingly had
Ediiib.

inserted in the

Med. and Surg, Journal, the publication

referred to p. 33.
It is

proper to remark that the powder which

receipt,

formed a part of Azim Shah's original

having been found to contribute
'

little

or nothing

to the cure,

was soon
and,

laid aside

by the European
will

practitioners,

as the reader
in the five cases

have ob-

served,
It

was omitted

above detailed.

was composed

as follows

Seeds of the Convolvulus

Ml, (W.
(

MlCulmiH.
Palds and

Seeds of the Butea Frondosa,

W. )

[jD'/zicH. FaldsaS.

of each, the weight of half a rupee (about 31 ss)

to be
dose.

powdered separately and then mixed,

for one

This powder the patient was directed to

n
swallow, (having

AFPENDIX.
first

put a

little

sugar into his

mouth,) previously
decoction.

to his beginning to take the

INDEX.
English names of the Plants.

PAGE.

-T^BRUS PItECATORIUS,
Acacia Arabica,

....

Jamaica

Wild

liquorice^

4
^....

Acacia Catechu,

Acorus Calamus,
Allium Sativum,

Indian Swe-et rushy

Garli-Cy

4
4 4
56

Aloe Perfoliata,

Socotorine Aloe,

Amber ^
Ambergrise^

57
....

Amomum Cardamomum, Amomum Zingiber,

Anethum Sowa,

Lesser Cardamom,
Ginger,

5 5 5

Andropogon Schoenanthus,
,

Sweet rush. Letnon grass,

Anethnm Panmoriura,
Antimony^

50
6
Prickly poppy.
J

Apium

Involucratwrn,

Argemone Mexicana,
Aristolochia Tndica,

Jam aica ^

'

>
5

yellozD

thistle,

Indian Birth wort,

Arsenic^ and

its

preps, ....

50

Artemisia Vulgaris,
Asclepias Astbmatica,

Mug

Txort,

8 8

Asthmatit Swallozc wort,

Borax^
Boswellia Serrata,
Cacsalpinia Bouducella,

Olibanum

free,

9
\\

Gray Bonduc,

English

laanies

cf Jhc Plants.

Cannabis Satlva,

Hemp^
Guinea Pepper

i^

Capsicum Anauum,

12

Capsicum Frutescens,
Carica Papaya,
Cassia Alata,

....

Shrubby

Capsicut>:y

12

Papazo tree,

13
15 15

J amaicaring^-xorm shrub
Pipe Cassia^
Senna,

Cassia Fistula,
Cassia Senna,

Egyptian Casda^ 50
15

Cedrela Tuna,
Citrus Aurantium,
Citrus Medica,

Toon

tree^
tree^
free.

Orange

16

Lemon

Lime

tree^

16

Columba,
Convolvulus Scammonea, ....

Kalumb,

47
...

Scammony bind weed,

49
50

Copper^ and
Cordia Myxa,

its

preps,

Sebesten plum,
Coriander,

17

Coriandrum Sativum,
Croton Tigiium,

17
17
>
^'^

Purging

croton,

Cucumis Colocynthis,

Bitter C Coloquintida. < apple, t

C
)

Cumlnum Cyminum,
Curcuma Longa,
Curcuma Zedoaria,
Datura Fastuosa,
Datura Metel,

Cummin,
Turmeric,
Zedoary,

17

18
18

Purple Thorn apple, .... 19

Hairy Thorn apple,

18
18

Datura Stramonium,

Common Thorn
Cowhage,
Tellicherry

apple, ...

Daucus Carota,
Dolichos Pruriens,
Echites Antidy&enterica,

Cultivated Carrot,

20

20

Bark

tree,

, .

20
20

Eupatorium Ayapana,
Ferula Assa
Galls,
fcetida,

Assa fcetida fennel-giant, 45

47
21
Liquorice,

Gentiana Cherayita, ... v.

Glycyrrhizra Glabra,

2S

INDEX.
Etoglish

lU
names of the Plants.

lIiYudo Medicinalisy

57

Honey

57

Hyperantbera Moringa,
latropha Curcas,
Iron,
<

23
i^?igular-lcaved Physic) > 24

and

its

preps

50
Panicled Justicia,

Justicia Paniculata,

24
57

Lac,
Laurus Camphora,
Laurirs Cassia,

Camphor
<
f

tree,

46
> 25 )

C Cassia tree.

Wild cin)

namon,

Laurus Cinnamomunij

Cinnamon

tree,

25 50

Lead, and

its

preps

Libanus Thurifera,
Ligusticum Ajawain,

Olibanum

tree,

9 25

Linum
Mace,

Usitatissimum,

Common

Flax,

26

49
48
Cajuputi Oil
tree,.

Manna,
Melaleuca Cajuputi,
Melia Azedirachta,

45

l-Pinnate-leavod bead tree,^6

.

Melia Sempervirens,

Ever green Bead

tree,,

26
5 8t
59.

Meloe dehor ei,

Meloe Trianthcmce,

Menispermum

Cordifoliura,

Heart-leaved

Moon
seed,

seed,

26 26

Menispermum VerruGosunij Mentha

Sativa,

Warty Moon

Marsh Whorled mint, ... 27

Marvel of Perity

Miiabilis Jalappa,

28
57

Musk,
Myristica Moschata,

Nutmeg
Myrrh,

tree,

49 49

Myrrha,

^
.
.

Nerium Antidysentericum,
Nicotiana Tabacum,

Tellicherry

Bark
.

tree,

20
23

Tobacco,

IV

INDEX.
Knglish names of the Plants.

Nigella Indica.

Indian Fennel- flowery ... 23

i

Nutmegs^

49

Ocimum
Opium^

Pilosum,

Hairy

basil^
*
. .

30
.
.

Olibanumy

9
31

Orchie Masciila,

Male Orchis^

49
31
55

Papavcr Sosaniferuni, ....;..

White poppt/^

Petroleum,
Phyllantlius Emblica,

Emblic Mt/robalatt, .... 31

Anise,

Pimpinella Anisum,

45
47
Si

Pipef Cubeba,
Piper Longum,

Cubeb,

Long pepper, ........

Black pepper,
.

Piper Nigrum,

31
31

Plantago Ispaghill,

Plumbago Zeylanica, Plumbago Rosea,

Pterocarpus Santalinus,
i .
.

Ceylon
.

Lead

zoori,

32
zsort.
. .

Roxe-coloured Lead

32 33 33 50

Red Sandal
preps

i:ood tree,
tree,
.

Punica Granatum,
Quicksilver, and
ita

Pomegranate

Rheum Palmatum,
Ricinus Communis,

Pnlmated Rhubarb^ .... 49

CPalma
^
f

Ckristt.

Casjor-'f > oil tree, y

34 35 35

Rubia Manjit'h,

Bengal Madder,
Rue,-

Ruta Gravcolens,
Sagus Rumphii,

Sago Pahn

tree,

49
53

Saline Preparations,
C

White, and yellow, San. .

Santalum Album,

\
f
C

> >

3;>

dal wood,

>

Heart-leaved
mallow,
,,

Sida C<jrdifoiia, '

^
^ C < f

Indian > ^ > ^5

3
^
>

Rhomb-leaved Indian

Sida Rhombifoiia,

3a

all 002 y

English names of the Plants.

P.iGE,

^^
Si(5a

Rhomboid-leaved Indian^
> 35

RliomboIdtEa,

<
[^

mallow^

J
,
.

Binapis DIchotoma,
Sinapis

Dichotomous Mustard,
Ramoiis Mustard,
Chinese Smilax,
.

36
3G

Ramosa,

Smilax China,
Stalagmitis Cambogioidcs,
.
.

45

Gamboge

tree,

43

Strjchnos

Nux Vomica, ....

Poison nut

tree,

.,,,,, 37
37

. .

Strychnos Potatorum,
Styrax Benzoin,

Clearing nut tree,

Benzoin

tree,

45
55

Sulphur,
Swietcnia Fcbrifuga,

Febrifuge Szcietenia tree, 38

Tamarindus Indica, .......

Terminalia Bllerica, Terminalia Chebula,

Tamarind
Belleric

tree,

40
tree,

Myrobalan

40

Chebule Myrooalan tree, 40

Citrine

Terminalia Citrina7 Tin,

Trigonella

Myrobalan

tree,

42
50

Faenum GrKciim,

Fenu, greek,

42
47

Uncaria Gambir,
Valeriana Jatamansi,

Indian Spikenard,
Five-leaved

43

Vitex Xrgundo,

Chaste tree, 43