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' COMPOSIT Ai. : 278 
3 momilla, but now the double flowers of Anthemis nobilis 
_ imported from Europe, are found in-most of the large towns. 
The drug does not appear to be mentioned by the old Sanskrit 
writers, and was probably first used in India by the Maho- 
- metan invaders. The notices of Babunah in Persian works on 
Materia Medica must be understood as applying to M. 
Chamomilla; we gather from: them that this plant is named 
after the-village of Babunah in Iraék-arabi, where it is particu- 
darly abundant. The Arabs call it Tuffah-el-ard and Shajrat- 
el-kafiar (camphor plant). It is considered to be stimulant, 
attenuant, and discutient. There is a popular opinion among 
the Persians that the odour of the flowers induces sleep and 
drives away noxious insects; they also say that bathing the 
genitals with chamomile tea bas a powerful aphrodisiac effect. 
Description.—The flower-heads are 4 to} of an inch 
broad, and have a flattish involucre, with two or three rows of 
_ small oblong-linear, obtuse scales having the margin mem- 
_ branous. The receptacle is at firstconvex, but becomes strongly 
conical and hollow, and is free from chaff. ‘The ray-florets are 
_ about fifteen in number, soon reflexed, white, ligulate-oblong, 
with two notches at the apex and enclosing the bifid style, 
_ but no stamens. The numerous yellow disk-florets are tubular, 
_ five-toothed, somewhat glandular, hermaphrodite, and have the 
anthers united into a.tube through which the bifid style pro- 
jects. The achenes are small, curved, finely five-ribbed on the — 
inner surface, brownish, tvithout pappus, but with a slightly 
_ elevated margin at the apex. German chamomile-flowers have 
& peculiar aromatic odour and a bitterish aromatic taste. They 
are easily distinguished from allied composite plants by.their 
smooth, conical, and hollow disks, which shrink very consider- 
ably on drying, F 
Chemical composition.--German chamomile-flowers contain 
about } per cent. of volatile oil, some bitter extractive; malates, 
tannates, and a little tannin, besides the Labs." ‘ 
vegetables Patton ne’ 8 capthemee acids é 
bathonal 
SUreeneto Ue . A 
