438 ASCLEPIADEZ. 
for Ipecacuanha. I have often prescribed it myself, and always 
found it answer as well as I could expect Ipecacuanha to-do; 
I have also often had very favourable reports of its effects 
from others. It was avery useful medicine with’ our Euro- 
peans who where unfortunately prisoners with Hyder Ali 
during the war of 1780-83. Ina pretty large dose it answered 
as an emetic; in smaller doses, often repeated, as a cathartic, 
and in both ways very effectually. Dr. Russeli was informed 
by the Physician General at Madras (Dr. J. Anderson) that he 
had many years before known it used, both by the European 
and native troops, with great success in the dysentery which 
happened at that time to be epidemic in the camp. The store 
of Ipecacuanha had it seems been wholly expended, and Dr. 
Anderson finding the practice of the native doctors much 
more successful than his own, acknowledged with his usual 
candour that he was not ashamed to take instructions from 
them, which he pursued with good success; and collec ting a 
quantity of the plant which they pointed out to him, he sent a 
large package of the roots to Madras. It is certainly an 
article of the Hindu Materia Medica highly deserving atten- 
tion.” (Flora Indica II., 34, 35.) Ainslie states that the 
Vytians prize the root for its expectorant and diaphoretic pro- 
perties, and often prescribe it in infusion to the quantity of 
half a teacupful for the purpose of vomiting children who 
suffer much from phlegm. From possessing virtues some- 
what similar to those of Ipecacuanha it has been found an 
extremely useful medicine in dysenteric complaints, and has, at 
times, been administered with the greatest success by the 
Rae iriatiaowen of Lower India. (Mat. Ind. ii., 83.) 
‘Mow recently we have the testimony of O’Shaughnessy and 
Kirkpatrick to the value of the drug as an emetic, and as a 
substitute for Ipecacuanha in the treatment of dysentery, and 
_ the opinion of these physicians is confirmed by the reports fur- 
nished to the Committee who superintended the preparation of 
the Pharmacopeia of India, by Drs. Bidie, Oswald, Sheriff 
and others. Dr. J. Kirkpatrick (Cat. of Mysore: mies says: 
‘‘T have administered this medicine’ in atileast a 
