LTLIACEM 497 



Description. — Surinjan-i-sliirfn, or tasteless Hermo- 

 dactyl. Speaking of this drug as furnislied to him from India 

 by "Dr. Royle, Pereira says : — "In their general form these corms 

 resemble those of Colchmim aiitnmnale. They are flattened, 

 cordate, hollowed out or grooved on one side, convex on the 

 other. At their lower part (forming the base of the heart) is a 

 mark or -disc for the insertion of the root fibres. Their size 

 varies ; the specimens I have examined were from | to 1 1 inch 

 in length or height, 1 to 1 1 inch in breadth, and about \ an 

 inch in depth. They have been deprived of their coats, are 

 externally dirty yellow or brownish, internally white, easily 

 broken, farinaceous, opaque, odourless, tasteless, or nearly so, 

 and worm-eaten. They agree precisely with Hermodactyls 

 furnished by Professor Guibourt." 



"Siirinjan-i-talkh, or bitter Hermodactyl. The corms of this 

 variety are distinguished from the preceding by their bitter 

 taste, their smaller size, and by having externally a striped or 

 reticulated appearance. Their colour for the most part is darker ; 

 lu some specimens it is blackish.. One 



corm 



^ne inch 



I 



t mch thick, grooved or hollowed on one side, convex on the 

 other ; of a brownish-yellow colour, semi-transparent, has a 

 toruy appearance, and is marked by longitudinal stripes, indi- 



laminated structure. A second is opaque, amylaceous, 



reticulated externally, white internally, less flattened and of a 

 remarkable shape, the concave or hollow side of the corm being 

 continued half an inch below the mark for the attachment of 

 t^e root fibres." {Mat. Med., Vol. H., Pt- I-, P- 167.) Pereira's 

 description agrees exactly with the Hermodactyls which we 

 We examined. 



Microscopic structure.— The starch grains of the tasteless 

 Hermodactyl are large and muUer-shaped, with a distinct 

 ^dum. The starch of "the bitter kind is angular by compres- 

 sion of the cells, and appears to be broken as if by heat. 



C^'^mical cmnposition .—Lec-dnu has analysed the tasteless 

 variety, and obtained the following result :— Starch (forming the 



1II.-U3 



