96 LABIAT.^. 



often do. The patient is to cat as mucL. of it, after it lias been 

 washed, as would mate in bulk the size of the first joiut of one's 

 first finger. This he is to do three times a daj for seven days. 

 It is also to be applied externally to the Avouud. I cannot, of 

 course^ vouch for the truth of this, or the efficacy of the cure, but 

 one of my sepoys, who was bitten by a Phiirsa a week ago, has 

 been doctored by the Patel (village headman) of this place, in 

 this manner, and is now apparently well. The Patel after much 

 persuasion has shown me the root and the plant, one I know 

 well, but the name of which I am not at liberty at present to 

 mention. lie also assures mc that this is all he uses." 



The plant was forwarded in April 1871 to the Chemical 



Analyser to Grovernment, who identified it as a species of 



Perilkiy and expressed an opinion that it was highly improbable 



that a plant belonging to the Labiatse would prove to be a 



specific for snake-poisoning, and suggested that some trustworthy 



evidence of its value should be obtained before he undertook an 



analysis. In June of the samo year, Dr. C. Joynt, the Civil 



Surgeon, reported the following case: — "A sepoy, aged 27, was 



admitted on the night of the 29th ; Liquor Ammoniae was applied 



to the wound after incising; next morning there was haemorrhage 



from the wound, and also free hiDniorrhago from the gums and 



tongue, the blood escaping had a bright arterial hue# A 



scruple of the root was ordered three times a day. The first dose 



decidedly relieved the vertigo which he complained of, and 



next day there was a marked diminution in the h{:emorrhage 



From gums and tongue, which entirely ceased on the fourth day. 



No other medicine was given." Dr. Joynt remarked: — "The 



emj^loymont of the root in this case appears to have been 



singularly beneficial, and to deserve further investigation.'' 



Unfortunately, Dr. Joj^nt left Ilatnagiri shortly afterwards 

 and was unable to continue his investigations. In the Annual 

 Re|X)rt of the Ilatnagiri Police Hospital for the year 1873-74, 

 ibe following remarks by Dr. E. IT, E. Langley, the Civil 

 ^urgeun, occur :—" Snake-bites furnished two cases; these 

 injuries were caused by snakes called *Phursa' by the natives 

 {luhl^ iftrimda uf uphioh)gis<s), A rai>id cure was effected hv 



