100 On the Utility of Cess-pools in Calcutta. [March, 



making the extract and the plant from which the Indian \vkiov is manu- 

 factured. Sir J. Smith, in Rees' Cyclopaedia, mentions that Rhamnus 

 infectorius (Turkey-berry, Buckthorn) is justly considered by Dr. 

 Sibthorp, as the \ V kiov, lycium, of Dioscorides. Under the head of lycium 

 however he says, ' the description given by that author does not accord 

 entirely with any known species of lycium :' that it was not- always so, 

 I conclude from finding that Lycium Creticum of Prosper Alpinus is a 

 synonyme of Berberis Cretica, which is the Cretan or box-leaved Bar- 

 berry. Considering, therefore, that a species of barberry was formerly called 

 Lycium, and that an extract is now prepared from a species of barberry, 

 to which the Greek name Ivfyon is applied by the Persian writers, and 

 that the Persian/ (» — J) may with the greatest ease be substituted for k ( j) 

 through the inadvertence of transcribers in writing a foreign word, I 

 think it may safely be assumed that for ^^ l u fy on -> we should read 

 ^i>y lukyon, and that consequently the \vkiov of Dioscorides is the 

 rasbt of India,, and that the extract was then, as it is now, prepared 

 from a species of barberry. 



Peganum Harmala. — This plant is called hurmal by the native 

 hakims, and commonly isband Lahori, on account of its being brought 

 from Lahore. It is remarkable, that Dioscorides gives ap^aXa, Harmala, 

 as one of the synonymes, and /j-oXv, Moly, as another. In the Persian 

 works, hurmal is said to be the Syrian name, and moly the Greek. The 

 plant is now common about Agra, having probably been introduced 

 from the northward. 



IV. — On the Utility of Cess-pools in Calcutta. 



The accompanying memoranda of observations have been made at 

 different towns and places, on experimental Cess-pools, or receptacles 

 for filth, in use since last hot-weather. 



The subject is not one of an attractive nature ; there are, however, 

 some circumstances stated which may induce you to give the papers 

 a place in your journal. 



The wells that are spoken of in the papers were of perfectly simple 

 and firm construction. They were dug to the greatest depth that 

 the common well-diggers of the country could easily reach, and gene- 

 rally of the greatest breadth, for which paats or earthen-ware hoops can 

 be made, viz. 4 feet 6 inches. A parapet of masonry was raised to the 

 height of 4 or more feet, having the same cylinder as the wells, to obviate 

 inconvenience from their overflowing. They have been dug either in 

 the godowns, where conveniences on the old plan already existed, or in 



