490 LEGUMINOS#: 
fenaks: —Some of these pulses have several varieties pro- 
duced by cultivation. Green mudga is considered wholesome 
and suited to sick persons; a soup of it is often the first article 
of diet after recovery from acute illness, The following are 
considered wholesome. and suited for use by convalescents : 
Masura, Kulattha and Makushtha. Masura is considered as 
highly nutritive and useful in bowel complaints; a poultice of 
it made with vinegar is an effectual domestic remedy for 
checking the secretion of milk, and reducing swellings of. the 
mammary glands caused by theirdistension with milk. Masha 
and Kulattha are considered to have the latter property. A. 
soup made with Kulattha is prescribed as an antilithic. Mé4sha — 
is much used in medicine, internally and externally, in paralysis, 
rheumatism and nervous affections; but it is always combined, 
with other drugs, such as asafcetida, Ricinus root, Mucuna 
Sida, &c. (Dutt.) Mash, Kalie and Masur are not allowed to be . 
eaten by Hindu widows, as these varieties are supposed to be 
too stimulating. : 
Lathyrus sativus, as article of diét, has long been 
known to be capable of producing toxic symptoms when used ~ 
for a prolonged period either by animals or humanbeings. In one - 
- district in Bengal, nearly four per cent. of the population were 
sufferers from it in 1860. (Irving, Indian Ann. of Med. 
Sci., vii., 127; Kirk, ibid., 145.) This condition, known as — 
lathyrismus, tis been snivectigated by Dr. B. Suchard. The- 
chief effect produced on the human subject is upon the muscles 
of the lower extremities, especially on those below the knee. — 
In horses also paralysis of the hinder extremities takes place, © 
and death has followed — bilateral paralysis of the laryngeal 
recurrent nerves and con tasphyxia. The laryngeal affec- 
f ey 
_.- tion has not, however, been observed in the human subject. 
Cantarri of Naples has recorded a number of cases in which he 
has carefully examined the muscles, and has found that the 
_ adductors are less effected than the abductors. The muscle of = 
the face, neck, and trunk were notaffected. - Cutaneous sensibi- 
lity is: not always affected, ‘even in the legs; reflex action i 
