THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY, 205 



necessarily reared under the warmtli of a stove and possibly in the 

 absence of briobt sunshine. It will be useful to note that Tlheede 

 has observed — that Jacob Breynius, a learned authority — in his 

 Prodromus Secund. calls this plant Zedoaria radlce rotunda {i.e., 

 with a round root). Rheede further notes that the whole plant is 

 used externally as an unguent (Poultice? k.r.k.) to wounds, which 

 it is known in Malabar to cure wonderfully. When applied exter- 

 nally it has been supposed to cause " resolution " where there is 

 " coagulation of blood in the body" — meaning, I presume, conges- 

 tion. It is said " to consume also all purulent material." The 

 juice of roots taken internally is supposed to act as a rssolvent of 

 phlegm, of dropsical affections of hands and feet, and of effusions 

 in joints. Such is also the use of this plant on this side of India. 

 Dr. Dymock speaks of it as a popular remedy in mumps {Galgand). 



The Poisonous "Nature of the Plant. 



I have noticed instances of profuse salivation and vomiting 

 produced by the internal administration of the juice of the tubers. 

 They are sometimes used by villagers in their fresh condition in 

 throat affections, known under the generic name of Ghdt-snrpa, to 

 relieve the sense of dryness in inflammations of the pharynx and 

 tonsils. The fresh tubers are pounded or rubbed on a stone with 

 water^ — a couple of them, — mixed with water, a small cuj)ful and 

 drunk sediment and all. This mixture carries with it the active 

 principle or alkaloid of the plant and causes in some cases unpleasant 

 symptoms, such as profuse salivation and subsequent vomiting or 

 retching. The active principle is presumably not unlike what is 

 found in the various species known as the " Galangals" and " Zedo- 

 arias," which have a more or less " strong, bitter, pungent, camphor- 

 aceous taste." The plant I am describing is, as Breynius has 

 determined, a veritable Zedoaria, and a representative of the order 

 Ziiiijiheracece which is noted more or less for its sialogogue proi^crtics. 

 IIow is this salivation caused, when the juice of Bhui-Champa is 

 administered by the mouth ? The juice may act in one of the two 

 following ways, or both ways simultaneously: — (1) It may act 

 through the stomach on the pneumogastric nerve, and produce cincaiH 

 (nausea and vomiting) ; or (2) it may act locally on the mouth, i.e., on 



