OIL OF BEN. 523 



north-eastern parts of Bengal, and 0. Soxburahii^jvAA. a purgative 

 oil. The bark of C. Eleuteria, C. Cascarilla, and other species 

 is aromatic, and acts as a tonic and stimulant. It forms the 

 caste-aril la bark of commerce already spoken of. When bruised, it 

 gives out a musky odor and is olten used in pastilles. 



The oil obtained from the seeds of Jatropha curcas, a native of 

 South America and Asia, is purgative and emetic, and analagous 

 in its properties to croton oil. It is said to be a valuable ex- 

 ternal application in itch. In India it is used for lamps. 



OIL OF BEN, known as Sohrinja in Bengal, and Muringo in. 

 Malabar is obtained from the seeds or nuts o the horse-radish 

 tree, JUJoringa pterygosperma, Burmann ; the Ilyperanthera 

 Marine/a, of Liuna3us. This clear limpid oil having no percep- 

 tible smell, is much esteemed by watchmakers and perfumers ; it 

 is expensive and not often to be procured pure, consequently the 

 oil would be a very profitable export. It grows rapidly and 

 luxuriantly everywhere in Jamaica, particularly on the north side 

 of the island as well as Trinidad and other quarters of the West. 

 It is easily propagated either by cuttings from the tree (the 

 branches) or by seeds, and bears the second year. The pro- 

 duce of each tree may be estimated at from one to two gallons. 

 From the flowers a very pleasant perfume might be easily distilled. 



The following account I derive from my friend Dr. Hamilton 



" It is a small tree, of about twenty feet in height, of most rapid growth, 

 coming into rtower within a few months after it has been sown, and continuing 

 to produce seeds and blossoms afterwards throughout the year. The tree is now- 

 naturalised in the West Indies. The timber is said to dye a fine blue, and the 

 gum, which exudes from wuunds in the bark, bears a strong resemblance to that 

 obtained from the Astragalus trayacatitfia, for which it might, no doubt, be 

 subsi iiuted. 



The numerous racemes of white blossoms with which the treo is constantly 

 loaded, are succeeded by long triangular pads, somewhat tonrlose at the ends, 

 and about two feet in length, when arrived at the full growth. These pods, 

 while yet young and tender, are not unfrequently cooked and served up at the 

 planter's tables like aspa/agus, for which they are not a bad substitute. Tho 

 pads, when full grown, contain about fifteen seeds ; each considerably larger 

 than a pea, with a membraneous covering expanding into three wings, whence 

 the specific name of pteryyosperma. Ou removing the winged envelope the seeds 

 appear somewhat like pith balls ; but upon dividing them with the nail, they 

 are found to abound in a clear, colorless, tasteless, scentless oil, of which the 

 proportion is so large that it may be expressed from good fresh seeds by the 

 simple pressure of the nail. Geoftry informs us, that he obtained 30fc ounces of 

 oil from eight pounds of the decorticated seeds, being at the rate of very nearly 

 24 Ibs. of oil from 100 Ibs. of seed. 



Notwithstanding the great value of its oil, and the facility with which it can 

 bo obtained in the West Indies, the moringa hns been hitherto valued merely as 

 an ornamental shrub, and cultivated for the sake of its young pods or the horse- 

 radish of its roots, as luxuries for the table. 



The oil is peculiarly valuable for the formation of ointments, from its capa- 

 bility of being kept for almost any length of time witliou -.:' ring into com- 

 bination with oxygen. This property, together with the t;;t;ii absence of color, 

 smell, and taste, peculiarly adapts it to the purposes of the perfumer, who is 

 able to make it the medium for arresting the flight of those highly volatile 

 particles of essential oil, which constitute the aroma of many of the most odor- 

 iferous flowers, and cannot be obtained by any other means, in a concentrated 

 and permanent form. To effect this, the petals of the flowers, whose odor it it 



