330 PLUMBAGINEZ. 
tions used as caustics. Religious mendicants attending fairs 
use the root for the purpose of raising sores upon their bodies 
in order to obtain pity and alms. In the Concan the following 
formula is used:—Chitrak root, Emblic myrobalans, small 
black myrobalans (Bal-hartaki), Long pepper, Pepper root, 
Rhubarb and Rock salt. Powder and give 6 mashas (90 
grains) with hot water every night at bed-time in flatulence 
with rheumatic pains. 
In paralysis, the bark, with Crateeva bark, Indian elm bark 
(Vavala), Wild Moringa bark, and the bark of Vitew trifolia, 
is boiled in one part of white, and two of black mustard oil 
and applied. Mahometan writers treat of the drug under the 
name of Shitaraj, a corruption of the Indian name Chitrak; they 
describe it as caustic and vesicant, an expellant of phlegmatic 
humors ; useful in rheumatism and spleen, digestive ; it also 
causes iabicieticiie. For external administration it is made into a 
paste with milk, vinegar or salt and water. Such a paste may 
be applied externally in leprosy and other skin diseases of an 
obstinate character, and be allowed to remain until a blister 
has formed. In rheumatism it should be removed after 15 to 
20 minutes. When administered internally the dose is one 
dirhem. Mir Muhammad Husain speaks of several kinds of © 
Shitaraj, and says one of them is the Libédiytn or Lifadiyan 
of the Greeks. Bhazes describes two kinds, Indian and 
Behera 
- The Shitaraj of Mahometan writers must, therefore, be con- 
wie: to refer to the genus Plumbago, and not to any particu- 
lar species. P. zeylanica is mentioned by several European 
writers upon Indian drugs, but has not attracted the same 
amount of attention as P. rosea, which is said to be more 
‘active. However, this may be, the former is the Chitrak of : 
the native physicians, aud very possibly may have been used 
* Plumbago europea is considered to be the ‘Sertetces .of Dioscorides by 
Sprengel. ABadsov or fel terre is the nam plant mentioned by 
Pliny (25, 31), whieh sam eet we Brae ai mates a aust 
>with Plumbago, 
eo 
