RUTA GRAVEOLENS 61 



fevers and as an antiscorbutic. For the latter the ripe fruit is 

 eaten uncooked. 



In Mauritius the juice is used to treat dysentery and hepa- 

 titis. Padre Blanco says that the natives use a decoction of 

 camias and unthreshed rice in diarrhoea and bilious colic. In 

 connection with the subject of camias and balimbins we should 

 mention the fruit treatment of the bilious diarrhoea of the 

 tropics, spoken of by the French physicians of Cochin China. 

 Dr. Van der Burg of the Dutch Indies also strongly recom- 

 mends the treatment of diarrhoea by fruits ; in temperate regions 

 using fruits like peaches, pears, etc., and in the tropics, lychies, 

 mangosteens, etc. In regard to the mangosteens we must not 

 forget that, while the bark is given because of the amount of 

 tannin it contains, the composition of the pulp is very different. 

 The fruit acids seem to exercise great influence in the cure of 

 this obstinate disease and I do not hesitate to recommend for 

 this purpose the camia and the ripe balimbin. 



Botanical Description. — A tree much like the former. 

 Leaves odd-pinnate. Leaflets, 3-4 pairs, obliquely ovate, acute, 

 the terminal leaflet nearly lanceolate. Flowers on the trunk, 

 branches and in the axils of the leaves. Fruit oblong, with 5 

 very prominent acute-angled ribs. 



Habitat. — It grows, like the former plant, in all parts of 

 the islands. 



RUTACE^E. 



Rue Family. 

 Ruta graveolens, L. (L. angustifolia, Pers.) 

 Nom. Vulg. — Rudu, Sp.; Rue, Eng. 



Uses. — The rue of the European, American and Indian 

 pharmacopoeias is emmenagogue, antispasmodic, anthelmintic, 

 excitant, diaphoretic, antiseptic and abortive. It contains an 

 essential oil, and rutin ic acid (C 25 H 28 15 , Borntrager), starch, 

 gum, etc. The essential oil is greenish-yellow, thick, acrid and 



