— 131 — 



" Many of the European inhabitants of India can bear wit- 

 ness -with, me to the excellence of Chireta as a stomachic, and 

 if to this circumstance is added the extreme simplicity as 

 well as cheapness of the remedy, I am not saying too mnch, 

 perhaps, if I pronounce it one of the most valuable medicines 

 which the Materia Medica of Hindostan possesses. My own 

 experience has convinced me, however that the right mode 

 of preparing it has not always been adapted and that in con- 

 sequence much of the benefit, which its proper exliibition 

 carely fails to produce has been lost. A weak infusion made 

 with cold spring or rain water should be used iu small quan- 

 tities, repeated several times daily for some weeks when it may 

 advantageously be left ofi" for a short time, and then resumed 

 again. The practice of administering decoction or infusion 

 made with hot water, especially in large quantity, I have myself 

 found objectionable, in more respect than one, especially on 

 account of the headache and sensation of redundant bile in 

 the stomach, which are frequently the consequences. I may 

 even venture to adduce as a favourable testimony of the in- 

 nocence of this drug, that I have known young children, my 

 own among others, prefer chewing a piece of it, to any thing 

 sweet. 



" M. Eichard Battley, says "Wallich, has made the analysis 

 of the Chireta, it contains : 



1. a free acid ; 2. a very bitter extractive and resinous 

 matter and a large proportion of gum ; 3. muriate and sul- 

 fate of potash and lime. 



'' By comparing the results of the experiment with those 

 previously made on the Gentiana lutea, it appears that the 

 extractive matter exists in larger proportion, and contains 

 more gum in the latter than in Gentiana CJiireta and that 



