ASCLEPIADEA. 431 
¥ urianiname;'this appears to be a corruption of the word jya6eos, 
“most holy,” or ‘ under divine protection,’ and was probably 
applied to the plant. by some of the Syrian physicians who 
instructed the Arabs in Greek medicine.. The modern Persians 
eall C. procera Khark and Darakht-i-zahrnak, or “poison tree.” 
- By Hindu physicians the root bark is said to promote the 
Secretions and to be useful in skin diseases, enlargements of 
the abdominal viscera, intestinal worms, cough, ascites; 
anasarca, &c. ‘The milky juice is regarded asa drastie pur- 
gative, and caustic, and is generally used as such in combina 
tion with the milky juice of Huphorbia neritfolia. The flowers 
are considered digestive, stomachic, tonic and useful in cough, 
asthma, catarrh and loss of appetite. The leaves mixed with 
rock salt are roasted: within closed vessels, so that the fumés 
may not escape. The ashes thus produced are given with 
whey in ascites and enlargements of the abdominal viscera. 
The following inhalation is prescribed for cough: Soak the 
powdered root bark of Arka in its own milky juice and dry. 
Bougies are then prepared from the powder, and their fumes 
inhaled. The root’ bark, reduced to a paste with’sour conjee — 
(rice vinegar), is applied to elephantiasis of the legs and 
scrotum. The milky juices of C. gigantea and Euphorbia 
nertifulia are made into tents with the powdered wood of 
erberis asiatica, for introduction into sinuses and fistule in 
ano. The milky juice is applied to carious teeth for relief of 
pain.” An oily preparation (Arka taila) made by boiling to- 
gether 8 parts Sesamum oil, 16 parts Calotropis juice, and one 
part turmeric, is said to be useful in eczema and other eruptive 
skin diseases. In the Concan the milk with powdered mustard 
is applied as a lep to rheumatic swellings, the flowering tops | 
pounded and boiled with molasses, are given in doses of about 
one drachm every morning as a remedy for asthma. In want 
of virility the following prescription is in vogue: Take 125 of 
the flowers, dry and powder, then mix with one tolé each of 
cloves, ‘nutmegs, mace and pellitory root, and make into pills oe 
° massas each, One pill may be taken eet Sissoleae a 
