Meliacee. | THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 143 
Chikrassee, is described as being astringent, but without bitterness; and is useful, as 
the Cedrela febrifuga of M. Blume, and the bark of Swietenia mahogani, in the cure of 
‘intermittent fevers. ! 
It is not unworthy of remark, that many of the Cedreleacee are remarkable for the 
excellence ‘of their wood. The mahogany is too well known to require further 
notice, than that it succeeds ‘well in the most northern, as in the southern parts 
of India. The Cedrela toona, though a lighter and more open-textured wood, forms 
the mahogany of India, and is much used for making furniture. The Chikrassee, 
also, a large timber-tree, is much esteemed for its “ light-coloured, elegantly-veined, 
close-grained wood,” as well as the satin-wood, afforded by another of this tribe, the 
Chlororylon Swietenia. All might with great benefit to the country be more extensively 
cultivated in different parts of India. .M. Jussieu remarks ‘that the existence of an 
essential oil is indicated in Chloroxylon and Flindersia by the transparent points in their 
leaves. The former is mentioned by Dr. Ainslie as one of those yielding wood-oil in 
India. ; . 
M. Adrien Jussieu remarks that the bitter, astringent, and tonic principles found in 
most of the Cedreleacee, may also be observed in some of the Meliacee, but with easily- 
_ observable differences ; while principles of a more energetic nature develope themselves, 
which make others of the tribe dangerous of employment. A tree, of the name of jito, 
is known to be of a purgative nature in Brazil, and said to be oftener of a poisonous 
than remedial-nature. M. Jussieu ‘Supposes it probable that the same name may be 
applied to several of the Meliacee, rather than to only one species of Guarea. Guarea 
Aubletii-and.G. trichilioides have bark, which is purgative-and emetic: Trichilia cathar- 
tica and _S. trifoliata have both the former property ; and Forskal informs us, that in an 
Arab book, his Elkaja, Trichilia emetica is described as being of an emetic nature. 
In India, the bark of Walsura piscidia is thrown into ponds to kill fish, which, 
“coming to the surface, are easily taken, and :not considered injurious to be eaten. 
Melia Azedarach has been accounted poisonous from the time of Avicenna, but it is 
only in larger doses that its fruit can be considered such. Loureiro recognises the 
utility of Azedarach in worm cases, and M. Blume states, that both JZ. Azedarach and 
Azadirachta are employed in Java as anthelmintics. The root of the former, which is 
bitter and nauseous, is considered a powerful anthelmintic in America: by Dr. Barton, 
as one of the best. A decoction of the leaves is said to be astringent and stomachic, 
and also to be injurious to insects, and employed with success against porrigo, . 
In India the Azadirachta is much more employed than the Azedarach, every part, 
but especially the bark, being bitter, and considered a valuable tonic: Mr. Piddington, 
in consequence, presented the Medical Society of Calcutta with a sulphate of Azadirine, 
which had for its base the bitter principle of the Azadirachta. The fruit is said to be 
useful in leprosy, and yields a bitter fixed oil, which ‘is anthelmintic and stimulant :-— 
another instance (as well as the Azedarach) after the olive, as observed by M. Richard 
(Lindl, Nat. Ord. p. 121), of the pericarp yielding a substance usually afforded by the 
seed. 
