VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 20I 



to the surface of which portions of firm dry pulp, or of the 

 rind of the fruit, are often adherent, sometimes to the extent of 

 uniting two or three seeds into one mass. The albumen is oily, 

 and incloses large, heart-shaped, leafy cotyledons. The Indian 

 nuts are somewhat different from the Siamese samples, the 

 testa being smooth, thin, and fragile in the case of the former. 

 Chaiilmugra and Petarkiira are Indian names for the drug. 

 The seeds are likened by the Chinese to Mylitta lapidescens 

 (^ ^) Ivci-wan). The method given in the Peiitsao for pre- 

 paring the oil is as follows: " Use three catties of the seeds, 

 remove the hulls and skins ; grind up in a mortar very fine. 

 Pack into an earthen jar and seal up tightly. Put the jar 

 into a pot of boiling water and seal the pot, so that no steam 

 can escape (possibly for increased heat under pressure). Steam 

 it until the oil assumes a black and tarry appearance. This 

 is the 'chaulmugra oil' " (;^ ^ ^, Ta-feng-yu), 1221. This 

 is an extract rather than an oil, although it probably contains 

 all of the latter found in the seeds. Both the seeds and 

 this oily extract are used in the treatment of leprosy. Indeed, 

 the name of the drug is derived from its reputed qualities in 

 the treatment of this disease (;^ J|[ ^, Ta-feng-cli4). Sophera 

 fiavescens^ Momordica cocJiiuchincnsis^ and calomel are various- 

 ly used in combination with the oil or seeds in tlie internal or 

 external treatment of the disease. The drug is also recom- 

 mended for impetigo, psoriasis, syphilis, scabies, and parasitic 

 pediculi. Some of the chaulmugra seeds found in Chinese 

 shops would seem to be from Hydnocarpits veneiiattis^ of the 

 same order an Gyiiocardia^ which has been found almost 

 equally as useful as the latter in the treatment of leprosy. The 

 Indian name of this is Neeradimootoo. 



GYNURA PINNATIFIDA.— £ \, (San-ch'i), 1059, [Jj 

 j^ (Shan-ch'i), :^ /fi f^ (Chin-pu-huan). This scitamineous 

 plant is named from the irregular arrangement of the leaves. 

 The Chinese say that there are three on the left side and four 

 on the right ; hence the first name. lyi Shih-chen says that 

 this is probably not true., but that the first name is a corruption 

 of the second, which means "mountain varnish." This name 

 refers to its property of causing the edges of wounds to adhere 



