Nux-VoMiCA 449 



Pen ts'ao to notice it. The point is emphasized that the drug serves 

 for the poisoning of dogs. The plant now grows in Se-c'wan. 



The Sanskrit term for nux-vomica is kupilu, from which is derived 

 Tibetan go-byi-la or go-bye-la. 1 The latter is pronounced go-ji-la, hence 

 the Mongols adopted it as gojila. It is uncertain whether the Sanskrit 

 name is related to Persian kucla or not. 



According to FLUCKIGER and HANBURY, 2 the tree is indigenous to 

 most parts of India, especially the coast districts, and is found in Burma. 

 Siam, Cochin-China, and northern Australia. The use of the drug in 

 India, however, does not seem to be of ancient date, and possibly was 

 taught there by the Mohammedans. It is mentioned in the Persian 

 pharmacopoeia of Abu Mansur (No. 113) under the Arabic name jauz 

 ul-qei. 3 ScHLiMMER 4 gives also the terms azaragi and gatel el-kelbe, and 

 observes, "Son emploi dans la paralysie est d'ancienne date, car Pauteur 

 du Mexzen el-Edviyeh en parle deja, a j out ant en outre que la noix vo- 

 mique est un remede qui change le temperament froid en temperament 

 chaud; le merae auteur recommande les cataplasmes avec sa poudre 

 dans la coxalgie et dans les maladies articulaires." 



The Arabs, who say that the tree occurs only in the interior of 

 Yemen, were well acquainted with the medicinal properties of the fruit. 5 

 Nux-vomica is likewise known in Indo-China (Cam salain and phun 

 akam, Khmer slen, Annamese ku-ci; the latter probably a transcription 

 of kucila)* 



The Kew Bulletin for 1917 (p. 341) contains the following notice on 

 Strychnos nux-vomica in Cochin-China: "In K. B. 1917 (pp. 184, 185), 

 some evidence is given as to the occurrence of this species in Cochin- 

 China in the wild state. Since the account was written a letter and a 

 packet of undoubted nux-vomica seeds have been received from the 

 Director, Agricultural and Commercial Services, Cochin-China, with 

 the information that the seeds were obtained from trees growing wild 

 in the country. H. B. M.'s Consul, Saigon, also sends the following 

 information about 5. nux-vomica in Cochin-China which he has received 

 from Monsieur Morange, Director of the Agricultural and Commercial 



1 Cf. Loan- Words in Tibetan, No. 50 (T'oung Pao, 1916, p. 457). 



2 Pharmacographia, p. 428. 



3 ACHUNDOW, Abu Mansur, p. 43. 



4 Terminologie, p. 402. 



5 L. LECLERC, Traite" des simples, Vol. I, p. 380. 



6 Cf. E. PERROT and P. HURRIER, Matiere medicale et pharmacope"e sino- 

 annamites, p. 171; the Chinese and Annamese certainly did not avail themselves 

 of this drug "from time immemorial," as stated by these authors. See, further, 

 C. FORD, China Review, Vol. XV, 1887, p. 220. 



