i92 MYRISTIGEM 



Betelphenol was contained in all the oils, whether derived 

 from Java, Siam or Manila, or from fresh or dry leaves ; it 

 would therefore appear to be a characteristic constituent of 



betle oil. 



^ 



MYRISTIGEM. 



MYRISTICA FRAGRANS, Tioutt. 



"Fig.— Bentl and Trim,, t 218 ; Ueichh. Ic. Exot, t. 276-277; 

 Nees, PL Med., t. 133 ; Bumjjh. Herb. Amb., iL, t 4. Nutmeg 

 (Eng.), Muscade {Fr.), Mace {Encj.), Macis {Fr.). 



Hab. — Moluccas. Cultirated in Penang, Malay Island, 

 and Zanzibar. The seeds and arillus. 



Vernacular. — T^utmegs — Jaiplial {Hind., Beng., Gm., Mar.), 

 Jadikai {Tarn.) Jsiji-kaja (Tel), Jdjikayi {C an.), J a.tikk^i^f'^- 

 Mace— Javitri, Japatri(fi'mf/.), Jadipattiri (T^w.), Japatri [Oan., 

 Tel.), Jdtipattiri (Ma/.), Jotri [Beng.], Jayapatri {Mar.), Ja- 

 vantari, Japatri {Guz.). 



1 



History, Uses, &C.— Natmegs, in Sanskrit Jati and 

 Jatiphala, are mentioned by Susruta, and in tbe Nigbantas bear 

 various synonyms, sucb as Jdti-kosba, Jati-sara, Sbaluka, an 

 Majja-sara ; they are considered to be hot, digestive, carminative, 

 expectorant and anthelmintic. Mace is called Jati-pattri, and is 

 said to have similar properties. Both of these spices probably 

 became known in India through the Hindu colonists in Java and 

 the Eastern Islands. From India they would appear to have 

 reached Persia and Eastern Europe. The authors of the 

 Pharmacographia remark that nutmegs were probably known at 

 Constantinople about the year 540. The Arabs evidently 

 first became acquainted with nutmegs through the Persians, 

 as their name Jouz-bawwa is a corruption of the Persian 

 Gauz-i-buya, " fragrant mit.^' Masudi, who travelled in the 

 East in A.D. 916—920, discovered that they were obtained 



