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plant, and then another plant of the same family, they 

 called the second the " wife " of the first. The Mala- 

 gasy suffered constantly from dyspeptic diseases, and 

 for that they had, perhaps, the largest number of 

 medicines, there being no fewer than ten, one or two 

 of which were, he believed, botanically local. As to 

 the specimen of cantharides, it had been used by the 

 native doctors or students, and they found it quite as 

 efficacious as a vesicant, as the European cantharides. 

 With regard to its specific action on the bladder, he 

 could not speak from personal observation. He 

 himself believed in its efficacy as a vesicant. As to 

 the native castor oil, he could speak upon the autho- 

 rity of his own students that it was efficacious as a 

 purgative, but its action was not to be relied upon, 

 because, in consequence of its being prepared by 

 boiling, its strength was very uncertain. The prepara- 

 tion was rather an extract than a genuine oil. He had 

 published a paper in Madagascar with regard to the 

 utilization of Malagasy remedies in place of European 

 remedies, and in that paper he had recommended 

 European castor oil in preference to the native oil in 

 consequence of the uncertain character of the latter. 

 The oil was prepared from the seeds of the Ricimis 

 communis. This native oil was certainly not very 

 clear, but the Malagasy people did not mind what kind 

 of dir.ty stuff they drink. Amongst the haemostatic 

 and astringent remedies, there was one which they 

 called the Fanjanbnandr a, or Velona'amfioibiii'nij vdto, 



