APPENDIX C. 



NOTES ON THE PRINCIPAL PLANTS EMPLOYED IN INDIA, 

 ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR REAL OR SUPPOSED FEBRIFUGE 

 VIRTUES. BY ALEXANDER SMITH, ESQ. 



The following enumeration of Indian febrifuge plants, thougb, from the 

 limited time at my disposal, not so complete as could be washed, w^ill serve 

 to give an idea of the great variety of indigenous plants used by the natives 

 of India in the treatment of the different kinds of fevers so prevalent in 

 that countrj'. European physicians of the present day rely to a great 

 extent upon the invaluable products of the Chinchonas, as the most certain 

 remedies for these disorders ; but a couple of centuries ago, when quinine 

 and the kindred alkaloids were undreamt of, and when even Peruvian Bark, 

 or, as it was then called, "Countess' Bark" or "Jesuits' Bark," was 

 scarcely known, and its source a jealously guarded secret, their ancestors 

 made use of a much greater number of substances, and highly extolled the 

 febrifuge properties of many of our native wild plants. Most of these, 

 however, are now known to be of little use and are discarded from the 

 modem practice of physic, though amongst rustic practitioners, or herb- 

 doctors, they still to a certain degree enjoy their ancient reputation. We 

 miist not therefore be surprised that the native doctors of the East, whose 

 knowledge of chemistry and the allied sciences is as limited as was that of 

 our old herbalists, should in like manner ascribe powerful properties to the 

 barks, roots, stems, and other parts of plants which in reality possess as 

 little value in a medical point of view, as the indigenous plants at one 

 time used in our own country. 



It must not, however, be imagined from these remarks that all the plants 

 mentioned below are known to be completely devoid of medicinal properties. 

 Some of them possibly possess qualities of the greatest value, and, were 

 they properly tested by the enlightened science of the present day, might 

 yield products useful either as tonics or febrifuges, or prove otherwise 

 valuable. But the great majority are comparatively valueless, and their 

 supposed virtues merely the result of fancy. 



Alex. Smith. 



Kew, Surrty, April 5th, 1862. 



