844 “ . CBLASTRINED, 
: properties, and are called in Sanskrit Vanhiruchi; Kanguni, 
Katumbhi and J Jyotishmati, the last synonym meaning “ lights 
possessing,” is an allusion to their supposed property of sti-. 
mulating ° De intellectual powers (af%) and sharpening the 
memory (=f). There is a treatise ‘called Jyotishmati Kalpa 
in which is: given the method of extracting the oil from the <4 
seeds, either. by laying them on the blade of a.sword and 
exposing them’‘to the rays of the sun, or by the action of heat 
over the fire. This oil is used in the Courts and Colleges of ’ 
India by a great many pundits to increase the intelligence of 
their pupils.. The Mahometans recapitulate in their works on — 
_ Materia Medica with some:additions what the Binds) say 
-about the drug. 
The seeds are thought to be hot’ and dry, apbrodisieal and 
stimulant, useful both as an external .and internal remedy in 
rheumatism, gout, paralysis; leprosy, arid other disorders which 
are supposed to be caused by cold humours. They may be~. 
administered in such cases commencing with a dose of one seed © 
to be gradually increased to fifty by daily increments of one, at 
the sathe time the oil may be applied externally, or the crushed : 
seeds combined with aromatics. ‘The latter’ application is said - - 
to be very efficient in removing local pains of a rheumatic or — 
malarious nature, Another. preparation for internal administra- 
tion is made by placing the seeds with benzoin, cloves, nutmegs, 
and mace into a perforated earthen pot, and then obtaining by 
distillation into another pot into which it’ is fitted a black 
empyreumatic oil. This substance was brought to notice by 
Herklots as a remedy in Reri-beri under the name of oleum 
nigrum. In doses of from 10 to 15 drops twice a day it acts as a 
a powerful stimulant, and generally produces free diaphoresis. : . 
In the Concan 4 tokis of the leaf-juice are given as an antidote — 4 
in overdoses of opium, and the seeds made into a paste with | 2 
cow’s urine are applied to cure scabies. - 
Description.—The fruit is a 8-celled, globose green : 
‘capsule, containing from 8 to 6 seeds enclosed ina complete 
arillus of a rich orange colour and sweet taste ; the seeds ee 
‘about the size of millet, of a reddish-brown colour, oily, and 
bi 
