O34 . + STEROULIACER. - 
beat into a paste with water. Dr. Watt in his “ Dictionary of 
_ the Economie Products of India” records the opinion. of thirteen 
medical men regarding the medicinal properties of the plant ; 
of these, eight’ speak favourably of it. Dr.R. Macleod says :— 
“It is a valuable medicine in dysmenorrhcea, the fresh root is 
usually given, made into a paste with black pepper abouta 
week before the time of menstruation, and is continued until 
it commences. I have seen it prove very efficacious «in 
some cases, especially in the congestive form of the disease.” ~ 
Dr. Thornton says:—“ The slender roots are useful in the — 
congestive and neuralgic varieties of dysmenorrhea. It — 
regulates the menstrual flow and acts asa uterme tonic. It 
should be given during menstruation, 14 drachms of the fresh 
root for a dose with black pepper, the’ latter acting as a 
stomachic and carminative.” Dr. Hvérs says :—‘‘ It has never 
failed in my hands in speedily relieving painful dysmenor- 
rhoea.”’ In Western and Southern India. the plant is not. 
common, and its medicinal properties do not appear to be 
known. ~ . Be 
Description.—A small tree or shrub, with soft velvety 
branches, and ovate-oblong, serrulate leaves, the under surface 
_of which is tomentose. ‘The flowers are dark purple and - 
_ drooping, and have five petals with dilated claws. The fruit is 
a dry, 5-celled capsule, with 5 truncated wings. When ripe it. 
dehisces at the apex, exposing the five inner angles of the cells ~ 
crested with stiff silky hairs which penetrate and irritate the © “ 
skin if handled. Each cell contains numerous black seeds the. 
size of radish seeds. The roots have a thick, fibrous, brow” 
bark, which, when freshly cut, protrudes a thick gummy sub- 
stance like others of the genus, 
(See Stereulia urens.) : 
‘ Chemical composition.—The bark was separated from the 
dried. roots and reduced to powder. Dried at 100° C. the 
_ powder lost 5-37 per cent. of moisture. The ash calculated on 
_ the undried powder amounted to 11-64 per cent. -'There WAS 
nothing special to note regarding the composition of the ashy ° 
+ it did not contain manganese. J 
- “+ 
