626 Fillers. 



History, Uses, &C.~-Tlie medicinal use of ihem feras 

 18 due to the Portuguese, who, on their settling in India, adopted 

 them as substitutes for Asplenium of Europe. 



A fern called (ia-itXTjuou or aa-icKrivos n6a ^as supposed by the 

 ancients to have the property of reducing the size of the spleen » 

 it was also known as (rK.Q\oTTivhpiov " centipede plant/' from a 

 fancied resemblance of its fronds to that reptile, and ^i^ioviov 

 •* mule plant," because mides were reputed to be fond of feed- 

 ing upon it. Bioscorides mentions the use of a decoction of the 

 plant in vinegar for enlargement of the spleen, and also the local 

 application of a plaster made of the leaves steeped in wine. It 

 was also considered to be of use in incontinence of urine, cal- 

 culus, and jaundice. "VYomen were not allowed to use it, as it 

 was supposed to cause sterility. This plant is generally iden- 

 tified with the Asplenium Ceferachoi Linneus, ''Spleen-wort" 

 or " Milt waste " ; others have supposed it to be A, hemionitis, 

 Linn., "Mules' fern," or A. Scolopendrium, Linn., " Hart's 

 tongue." 



Mahometan physicians, under the name of Iskulukandriun, 

 give a translation of what Dioscorides says concerning this 

 drug, with a few unimportant additions ; practically they appear 

 to know nothing about it, and we have never known any drug 

 to be offered under this name in the bazars. Haji Zein states 



Hashishat-el-tihal *' Spleen-wort " in Arabic, 

 and in Egj^t Kaf-el-nasar " Eagle's clan." 



The Indian substitute is used in Goa as an alterative in cases 

 of prolonged malarial fever, usually in combination with Olden - 

 landia or Andrographis, and the use of the drug has spread 

 to Malabar through the Goan Brahmins who have settled there. 



Description. — The part used medicinally is the rhizome, 

 to which are attached the bases of the fronds and numerous 

 radicles, all of a black colour. The rhizome is about as thick 

 as the finger ; when broken across it is seen to consist of a 

 parenchyma in which are several bundles of vessels of a lighter 

 colour. Tlicse can be separated from the canals in which they 

 are situated without much trouble when the rhizome is fresh. 



called 



