86 . CUCURBITACEM. 
Kirtikar recorded (Trans. Bomb. Med. and Phys. Soc.) a case of - 
poisoning with symptons resembling those of cholera, after the — 
administration of one fruit as a purgative; this dose prove 
fatal, The drug must therefore be used: with great caution. 
CEPHALANDRA INDICA, ‘Naud. 
Pig.— Wight Iil., t. 105; Hook. Ic. Pl. I., ¢. 138. 
Hab.—Throughout India. 
Vernacular.—Kunduri (Hind.), Telakucha (Beng.), Kova 
(Tam.), Ran-tondla (Mar.), Gholi (Guz.), Tonde-konde (Co 
History, Uses, &c.—This plant is called in Sansk 
Vimba, Vimbaja, Pandkéri and Tundiks ; it has a scarlet fruit 
and Indian beauties are descriped as Vimboshta, ‘red 
cherry-lipped,” by poets and story tellers. The root and ju 
the leaves is used medicinally ; the wild fruit is very biti 
but that of the cultivated form is sweet and is much used 
vegetable. In Hindu medicine the juice of the tuberous roo 
is used as an adjunct to the metallic preparations prescribed | 
diabetes in doses of one tola (180 grs.) every morning. UD 
states that he has known several patients who were ben 
by its use. Ainslie notices its use in southern India, and sa 
that the juice of the leaves is applied to the bites of anim: 
Moodeen Sheriff states that in the bazars of the south the 
is sold as a substitute for Caper root. In the Concan the 
pounded with the juice of the leaves is applied to the wh 
body to induce perspiration in fever, and the green fruit 
chewed to cure sores on the tongue. We have found the 
green leaves useful as a colouring agent in preparing Sa 
ointment from the essential oil, 
Description.—-Fruit bitter, fleshy, cylindrical, smooth, 
green, with ten white stripes when unripe, in which state iti 
