SCBOVBULARINEM. 5 



SCHWEINFURTHIA SPH^ROCARPA, 



A. Bratin^ 

 Yig.—Burm. FL Ind., t. 39,/. 2; Wight Zc, t. 1459. 

 Hab. — Sind, BilucliistaD, Afghanistan. The lierb in fruit. 



Vernacular. — Sannipat (Incl, Bazars). 



History, Uses, &C. — In Hindu medical literature and 

 in popular use, San-nij^uta is a term wLicli signifies a combined 

 derangement of the three humors, Vata, Pitta, and Kafa (air, 

 bile, and phlegm), which is supposed to produce Sannipata-jmray 

 or fever with typhoid symptoms. The remedy for this condition 

 is said to be a plant called Sannipata-nud, " driving away sanni- 

 pat," and Nepala- nimba, "Kepal !N"eem '^ or ^^ Nepal bitter/' 

 At the present time the drug sold in the shops is ^S^. ^phiMrocarpa^ 

 but whether it is the original Nepal Neem is difficult to decide, 

 as at present we do not even know whether this plant is found 

 in Nepal. In typhoid conditions the drug is considered to act 

 as a tonic, to promote diuresis, subdue fever, and remove the 

 derangement of the humors. AVe are not aware of any experi- 

 ments having been made with it by European physicians in 

 India, though its near relationship with the Antirrhinums, 

 which contain glucosides similar to those of Digitalis, would, we 

 should have thought, have excited curiosity in regard to its 

 physiological action. 



Description. — The drug consists of the plant in fruit, 

 broken up into small pieces. The fruit is a globular dry papery 

 mucronate capsule, firmly attached to the calyx ; the upper part 

 of the capsule to which the placenta is attached is double ; the 

 placenta, which is large and oblong, is supported upon a thick 

 peduncle, and occupies the centre of the capsule; to it are 

 attached numerous straight 5-angled wedge-shaped seeds, 

 which are packed closely together and fill the remaining space. 

 The calyx is 5-partite, the upper segment very large and extend' 

 ing over the fruit Like a hood. Leaves ovate, leathery, about 

 1 inch long with short blunt hairs ; margin much lighter in colour 

 than the rest of the leaf; seed straight, wedge-shaped^ with six 



