| 
APOCYNACEZ. 415 
It may \be found noticéd both by Burman in his Thesaur. 
_Geylan. &t. 64) and Garcia ab Horto; the latter recommends it 
as stoma.chic ; Rumphius speaks of it as an antidote to poisons ; 
and Boyaitius, in his Hist. Mat. Med. Ind., tell us that it cures 
Search. iv., p. 308,) thinks it possible that this plant may 
perhaps be the true ichneumon plant. In the Pharmacopeia of 
Tndia its use in labours to increase uterine contractions is 
noticed upon the authority of Dr. Palney Andy, but we have no 
other evidence of its efficacy in such cases. In Bombay most of 
the labourers who come from the Concan keep a small supply 
_ of the root, which they value as a remedy in painful affections 
¥ the bowels. Inthe Concan the root with Aristolochia indica 
(Sépsan) is given in cholera; in colic 1 part of the root with 2 
parts of Holarrhena root and 8 parts of Jatropha Curcas root is 
given i in milk ; in fever the root with Andrographis paniculata, 
ginger and bhick salt is used. The dose of the combined 
drugs in each case is from 3 to 4 tolas. 
Description.—Root crooked, tapering, from 4 an inch 
1 diameter downwards ; bark soft, corky, marked by longi- 
inal fissures, light brown ; wood brittle, showing rings and 
‘medullary rays visible to the naked eye ; taste very bitter ; 
sdour of the fresh root acrid. The suber upon transverse 
ion presents when magnified the appearance of a piece of 
neycomb, viz., alternate rows of long tubular cells and 
pressed cells ; the inner portion of the bark consists of 
elicate Scccchyns, loaded with starch, and traversed 
istinct medullary rays. The wood is remarkably 
: compotion —Tho roots examined by us reduced 
lost Aled per cent. when dried 100°. C. . 
