FOLYGONACE^. 155 



In tlie use of rhubarb as a medicine, tbe Mabometans quote 

 and follow Galen, Oribasius, Paulus, Razf, Ibn Sina and Masib, 

 wbose opinions it is unnecessary to reproduce. In India it is 

 cbiefly used as a stomachic, tonic, and mild aperient. 



The rhubarb found in the Indian bazars is of a very inferior 

 kind, in long stick- like pieces, shij^ped to Calcutta and Bombay 

 from the Eastern ports. It comes from China, and has 

 hardly any aroma, a bitterish taste, and but slig-ht purgative 

 action. When fresh, it is covered with a yellow dust, like 

 ordinary rhubarb. The natives use it as a tonic and 

 stomachic. None of the commercial rhubarb known as East 

 Indian is imported into Bombay unless specially ordered from 

 China, but it often passes through the port on board the 

 P. and O. Company's steamers. Bombay druggists, Native 

 and European, usually obtain their rhubarb from London. 

 On account of its low price, the former always import English 



rhubarb. 



?/ 



India is attributed to EJienm emodl, B. Moorcro/fiamim, and 

 E. Welhianum, all Himalayan species ; it is said to be of two kinds, 

 large and small : *' The first in cylindrical pieces, of various 

 sizes and shapes, furrowed ; cut obliquely at the extremities, 

 about four inches long and an inch and a half in diameter ; of a 

 dark-brown colour, feeble rhubarb odour and bitter astringent 

 taste ; texture radiated, rather spongy, not presenting on frac- 

 ture the marbled texture characteristic of ordinary rhubarb ; 

 pulverized with difficulty ; powder of a dull brownish-yellow 

 colour. The second consists of short transverse segments of the 

 f root branches ; of a dark-brownish colour, odourless or nearly 

 60, with a very bitter astringent taste." (Op. cit,,^^, 187.) The 

 first kind so exactly corresponds with the stick rhubarb im- 

 ^ ported from China, that we are of opinion t!)at it was not 



Himalayan rhubarb, whilst the second probably was of Indian 

 origin. Trials made with Himalayan rhubarb by Prof. Royle 

 {Calcutta Med. and Phys. Tram., iii., p. 439) and Mr. Twining 

 (Diseases of Bengal^ i.> p- 220) are reported to have been satis- 

 factory, and Dr. Hugh Cleghorn [Madras Quart, Med. Journ., 

 1862, v», p. 464), who furnishes some interesting remarks oa 



