— 138 — 



the native name signifying " stopper of blood/' or 

 living upon stones." The botanical name had been 

 ascertained to be Anthrospermum enerve. It was one 

 of the Rubiaceae. His students were his authority for 

 saying that it was efficacious. The next class of reme- 

 dies consisted of medicines for the kidney and fainting. 

 The Malagasy were rather apt to be troubled in this 

 direction in consequence of their stomachs being so 

 often out of order, but he believed that these remedies 

 were more in the nature of charms than of actual 

 medicines. The next one was a remedy used for 

 headache, and which they called Fisava, i. e. " the 

 disperser," being under the idea that their ailment 

 was due to a sort of fog in the brain. But this too was 

 more of a charm than a medicine. Its botanical name 

 had not been ascertained. The next class of remedies 

 were those for rheumatism and periostitis : there also 

 were used more in the way of charms than from any 

 belief in their practical utility. The seeds which he 

 now held in his hand were called Vato-lalaha seeds 

 by the natives. They scraped the inside of a seed and 

 mixed it with water, and drank the mixture in order 

 to expel the placenta. He had had no opportunity of 

 testing whether it was efficacious. At the same tim e 

 it was used as an emetic. Possibly its emetic effect 

 might have a reflex action on the uterus and so make 

 it serviceable. He had on his list two or three drugs, 

 including tobacco, Malagasy aloes, and Tanghinia 

 venemjera, which might be serviceable in. medicine. 



