996  COMPOSITA. 
gum, and. 6°23 per cent.’ of dextrin and allied carbohydrates, 
and the alcoholic filtrate from these yielded ‘saponin. Albu- 
minous matter, oxalate ‘of calcium, lignin and cellulose were 
determined, and the total’ ash was 17:1 percent. (Phar. Jour. 
(3] xvii. 77,) : ; 
SAUSSUREA LAPPA, Clarke. 
Fig.—Dene. in Jacq. Voy. Bot., t. 104. Arabian Costus. 
Hab.—Cashmere. The root, ‘ 1S 
Vernacular.—Kut (Hind.), Pachak (Beng-), Upalét (Guz.); 
Kushta (Mar.), Koshta (Can.), Goshtam (Tam.), Goshtamu (Tel-). 
History, Uses, &c.—Sanskrit writers on Materia Medica 
mention a fabulous root under the name of Pushkaramula, 
Lotus root,’ and. ascribe to it properties similar to those — 
of Costus. Among many other synonyms it bears the name 
Kashmira, “coming from Cashmere.” We think there can be 
little doubt that.this root, which is not now obtainable, and is 
described in the Nighantas as hot, bitter and pungent, and 
useful in cough, asthma, fever, dyspepsia and skin diseases, — 
must have been Orris root. Kushta or Costus is now used _ 
instead of it, and orris root, although much used in 
India by the Mahometans, has not been identified by the 
modern Hindus with Pushkaramula,- Kéoros* igs mentioned — 
_ by Theophrastus (H. P., ix. 7), Dioscorides (i. 15), and is among 
the offerings made, B.C. 248, by Seleucus II., King of Syria) 5 
and his brother, Antiochus Hierax, to the temple of Apollo at 
Miletus. Cosius, like many other Indian drugs and spices, was 
formerly carried to Europe by the Arabs, and, being supposed 
to be a production of Arabia, was known to the ancients a8 
Arabian Costus. Dioscorides says:—“ The best is that which 
is fresh, light coloured, compact and of firm texture, dry, not 
ies, 2 
worm-eaten, devoid of an acrid smell, and which tastes hot and : 
biting.” Hoe also mentions an inferior kind, light like Ferula, 
* The Greek name is derived from the Sauskrit gg through the Arabic 
en 
: es 
