• « 



Luted concerning plants that are common in this countiy, but of 

 which the- medicinal properties are almost unknown here. Thus 

 Au'jgalUs arve?isis is said to be used in India as a fish poison and to 

 kill leeches, and Orfila's statement to the effect that three drachms 

 of an extract of the plant proved fatal to a dog, and M. Gronier's 

 that the plant has a poisonous effect on hares is probably known to 

 but few. SoncJiUs oleraceiis^ a common w^eed in this country, is 

 mentioned as possessing active hydrogogue properties and being 

 likely to be useful in ascites and hydrothorax. * Pharmacographica 

 ludica' thus forms a work, the usefulness of which is by no means 

 confined to India. Being brought quite up to date, it will be found 

 very valuable for purposes of reference on materia medica generally. 

 Here and there throughout the volume interesting- historical notes 



appear. In one of these, nepenthe is identified wi 



Hammer Purgstall's observation to this effect being quoted. 

 *'Bondj;' the plural of which in Coptic is **nibendjV' is without 

 doubt the same plant as nepenthe, which has so much perplexed the 

 commentators of Homer. Helen evidently brought the nepenthe 

 from Egypt, and bendj is there still reputed to posses^ all the 

 wonderful qualities which Homer attributes to it. 



' Pharmacographia Indica,' like its namesake, is a work of reference 

 that no student of materia medica can afiord to be without, and 

 which is not only valuable for the accuracy of its statements, but so 

 far as \U historical matter concerns cannot fail to prove most 

 interesting to the student of Eastern languages, almost as much so 



ta 



as to the student of materia medica. The articles on poisons also 

 should prove of great value to medical jmists, more particularly in 

 India. Even the indefatigable searcher for new remedies will pi-o- 

 bably find scope for his energies in the long list of articles of 

 materia medica as yet untried in this country. One of the most 



promis 



o 



root- 



bark of which, in doses of five grains, has been found by the 

 authors to be '' a most efficient cholagogue, without pui'gative effect, 

 but restoring the natural colour of the stools after the usual reme- 



di^»^, 



been 



ttoii.J in despair." With these few exracts, the reader may be 



^ "ft to dive ft>r In'm^AH inf^ -i-i.c^ i. i « -r-i , , - 



East 



ii.._.u.. {Pharmaceutical Journal. July 11th 1891.) 



PHiLi 



Vcg..able Origiu met with in British India. WiUiam Dymock, 



