SCROPHULARINE^, 11 



{Mat, Ind. , I . , p. 1 64 )., has the following remarks : — "I have given 

 the names Kadagoroganie and Kali'lcootkie as the Tamool and 

 Dukhanie appellations of the black Hellebore, as the root 

 procured in the Indian bazars is commonly said to be so ; but 

 I have great doubts of it^ and I here ofier a caution respect- 

 ing it,> as ifi hj no moans agrees in appearance with the black 

 Hellebore of the European shops/* 



+ 



Royle {IlL e., p. 291) notices that the root of P. Kurrooa 

 possesses much bitterness and m employed medicinally by the 

 natives. Irvine {Mat. Med.^ p. 58) mentions the use of Kutki 

 as a tonic, but owing to a general impression that the bazar 

 drug was Hellebore root, European medical men appear to have 

 generally avoided making experiments with it. Mr.. Moodin 

 Sheriff was the first modern writer to clearly demonstrate that 

 the bazar drug has no dangerous properties,, but is a valuable 

 tonic and antiperiodic. He also identified it with the 

 P. Kurrooa of Hoyle, an identification which we are now able to 

 confirm through the kindness of Mr. J. F. Duthie who has 

 supplied us with a specimen of the plant collected in Kumaon. 



As re2:ards the medicinal 



accounts 



given by Sanskrit writers appear to be correct. Mr..M. Sheriff 

 speaks favourably of it as a powerful bitter tonic and anti- 

 periodic. Other medical men in India have expressed a similar 

 opinion, and we can state from personal observation that it is 

 used successfully as an anti'periodic in native practice ; its slight 

 laxative action is rather beneficial than otherwise. The dose 

 as a tonic is from 10 to 20 grains, as an antiperiodic from 40 to 

 50 grains ; it is best administered in combination with aromatics. 



Description. — The drug consists of a. rEfzome, generally 

 about tKe size of a goose-quill, but often no larger tlian a crow- 

 quill, the lower portion of which is cohered by a shrivelled, 

 greyish-brown', corky bark,, and marked by prx)minent scars, 

 the remains of rootlets ; towards the upper end it becomes 

 larger {{ inch in d iameter) „ and is thickly set with dark greyish- 

 brown scales^ and terminates in a scaly leaf-bud or stem. ITie 

 rhizome is generally broken into short pieces, from 1 to 2 



