378 Obfervatiojis rcfpe&ing the Aya-Tana, 



will fliow the manner of adminiftering this plant, and the 

 different dofes employed, according to the purpofes for which 

 it is applied. 



A planter of the Ifle of France, C. Cotte, was ftung in 

 the right hand by a fcorpion : a violent inflammation, ac- 

 companied with acute pain, immediately took place. Cap- 

 tain Baudin advifed him to make ufe of the aya-pana. Se- 

 veral leaves were pounded, and applied to the wound ; the 

 pain immediately ceafed : at the end of two hours there was 

 no more inflammation, and the hand foon returned to its 

 natural ftate. 



C. Ponfet, an officer of artillery, brought to captain Baudin 

 a negro, who while fifliing had been pricked by a fifh known 

 under the name of the lajt. The prick of this fiih is fo ve- 

 nomous that, before the aya-pana was known, amputation 

 of the wounded limb was the only remedy. The hand of the 

 negro was very much fwelled. Captain Baudin recommended 

 the application of the ay a pana pounded ; and as he fuppofed 

 that a great deal would be required to eflecT: a cure, he induced 

 C. Poncet to fend fome perfon to the garden of the ftate to 

 procure a considerable quantity of the leaves, in order that the 

 hand of the patient might be wrapped up in them. But as 

 the garden was at the di fiance of three leagues, and as the 

 patient fu fife red a great deal from the pain of the wound, cap- 

 tain Baudin refolved to take feven or eight leaves from a 

 young fhoot which he had at his houfe. Thefe he caufed 

 to be pounded, and then applied to the part affected. Next 

 day the hand of the black was completely cured. 



A black whofe belly was much fwelled, and exhibited fym- 

 ptoms of a dropfy, having applied to a furgeon, the latter re- 

 folved to tap him : he, however, deferred the operation be- 

 cause he had other patients to vifit. Being urged by the 

 matter of the black to prefcribe for him, he faid, by way of 

 derifion, "Give him an infufion of aya-pana till I return. " The 

 furgeon's orders, happily for the patient, were literally com- 

 plied with. The dropfy made no further progrefs ; the fym- 

 ptoms gradually difappeared ; and at the end of a few days 

 the black was in a condition to refume his labours. 



Captain Baudin, in going on board his velfel, happened to 

 fall and hurt his left leg very much. It was neceffary, on 

 his being carried home, to cut off his flocking in order that 

 the wound might be dreffed. Captain Baudin ordered fome 

 leaves of the aya-pana to be boiled ; and when the deco&ion 

 was tepid the wounds were walhed with it, and the leaves 

 nfed for making the decoction were applied to them. _ The 

 leg was then wrapped up in feveral folds of a bandage dipped 

 8 in 



