586 SOLANACE. 
of the mass, which is directed to be made with the assistance of 
lemon juice. . 
As a local application to inflamed and painful parts, the 
pounded leaves mixed with turmeric in the form of a paste are 
much used as a domestic remedy. Similar pastes are made 
with the fruit; and juice, with or without opium, and mixed 
with oil; they are used to destroy lice and in parasitic skin 
diseases. 
A pill made of the pounded seeds is placed in decayed teeth 
to relieve toothache, and the leaves are smoked along with 
tobacco in asthma. According to Dutt, no mention of the 
latter use of the plant is to be found in old Hindu books. 
Mahometan writers also are silent upon this point. Ainslie 
found upon enquiry that the physicians of Southern India 
were unacquainted with the value of Datura in spasmodic 
asthma, but he tells us that his friend, Dr. Sherwood of Chittore, 
noticed the smoking of D. fastuosa as a remedy in that disease. 
Tn the Concan the juice of the same plant is given with fresh 
curds in intermittent fever to the extent of one tolé during the 
intermission, and at least two hours before the fever is 
expected. The seeds also often enter into the composition of 
the bakha, used in the fermentation of country spirits, and 
Norman Chevers states that bakha is also frequently added 
to. Kaila (#4), an intoxicating drink prepared from the 
fruit of Feronia elephantwm, and indulged in by the 
lower classes during the Holi festival. The seyeral species 
of Datura are described by Mahometan writers under 
the Arabic name of Jouz-el-mathil. The Persian name 
is Tatulah.t The author of the Makhzan recommends 
preference to be given to the purple kind; he says 
that all parts of the plant are powerfully intoxicating and nar- 
_eotic; as a local application they relieve the pain of tumours, 
piles, &c. The roasted leaves applied to the eyes give relief in 
‘* Datura Stramonium is called ra i ni k, a name di 
 rFamonvum is called rarovha in modern Greek, a name doubt- 
mstans whence it appears to hav 
3 
4 
% 
7 
a 
? 
4 
