190 LEGUMINOSiE. 



The employment of cowhage as a vermifuge originated in the West 

 Indies, and is quite unknown in the East. In England the drug began 

 to attract attention in the latter part of the last century, when it was 

 strongly recommended by Bancroft in his Natural History of Guiana 

 (1769), and by Chamberlaine, a surgeon of London, who published an 

 essay ^ descriptive of its effects which went through many editions. It 

 was introduced into the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia of 1783, and into the 

 Loudon Pharmacopoeia of 1809. At the present day it has been almost 

 discarded from European medicine, but has been allowed a place in the 

 Pharmacopoeia of India (1868). 



The name Cowhage is Hindustani, and in the modern way is written 

 Kiwdnch, which is generally derived from the Sanskrit Kapi-Kachchu, 

 monkey's itch (Dr. Hice) ; tlie corruption into Goiu-itch is absurd. 

 Mucuna is the Brazilian name of another species mentioned in 1648 

 by Marcgraf ^ 



Description — The pods are 2 to 4 inches long, about yV of an inch 

 wide, and contain 4 to 6 seeds ; they are slightly compressed and of a 

 dark blackish brown. Each valve is furnished with a prominent ridge 

 running from the apex nearly to the base, and is densely covered Avith 

 rigid, pointed, brown hairs, measuring about yV of an inch in length. 

 The hairs are perfectly straight and easily detached from the valves, out 

 of the epidermis of which they rise. If incautiously touched, they 

 enter the skin and occasion an intolerable itching. 



Microscopic Structure — Under the microscope the hairs are seen 

 to consist of a single, sharply pointed, conical cell, about yV of an inch 

 in diameter at the base, with uniform brownish walls 5 mkm. thick, 

 which towards the apex are slightly barbed. Occasionally a hair shows 

 one or two transverse walls. Most of the hairs contain only air ; others 

 show a little granular matter which acquires a greenish hue on addition 

 of alcoholic solution of perchloride of iron. If moistened with chromic 

 acid, no structural peculiarity is revealed that calls for remark. The 

 walls however are somewhat separated into indistinct layers, the pre- 

 sence of which is confirmed by the refractive power displayed by the 

 hairs in polarized light. 



Chemical Composition — The hairs when treated with sulphuric 

 acid and iodine assume a dark brown colour. Boiling solution of potash 

 does not considerably swell or alter them. They are completely 

 decolorized by concentrated nitric acid. 



Uses — Cowhage is administered for the expulsion of intestinal 

 worms, especially Ascaris lumhricoides and A. vermiculai^, which it 

 effects by reason of its mechanical structure. It is given mixed with 

 syrup or honey in the form of an electuary. 



The root and seeds are reputed medicinal by the natives of some 

 part of India. The pods when young and tender may be cooked and 

 eaten, 



1 On the efficacy of Siizolobiuvi or Cow- ^ Hist. Nat. Brasil. 18. 



hage, Lond, 2iid ed, 1784. 



