1834.] Himalayan Mountains and of the Flora of Kashmir. 531 



in each species, it is found that they act either on the system generally, or in dif- 

 ferent degrees on particular organs. Thus several species of Ranunculus are used 

 as rubefacients and vesicatories ; while the roots of Zanthorliiza, Coptis, and 

 Hydrastis, as tonics ; and those of Thalictrum majus as a substitute for rliubarb. 

 Hellebore has long been known as a powerful cathartic, and Aconite as a no less 

 powerful narcotic and poison ; while some from the destructibleness of their 

 noxious property by water have been used as food. The Mahomedan physicians 

 in India having derived their knowledge of drugs chiefly from Arabian authors, 

 who translated from the Greek, it is not surprising to find such articles as Helle- 

 bore, Pceomi, Lycoctonum, and Stavesacre, all of which as well as others might 

 be grown in the Himalayas, prescribed in every part of India, though tne drug- 

 gists, calculating upon the ignorance of both practitioners and patients respecting 

 the true drug, generally substitute some which they consider an equivalent. Yet 

 it is interesting to observe, that independent observation has introduced into 

 Indian practice several drugs from this family, to which the same properties are 

 ascribed as in Europe. Thus Ranunculus sceleratus is used as a vesicatory. The 

 roots of Thalictrum foliosum as a bitter in the cure of fevers — those of Aconi- 

 tum heterophyllum as a tonic, and of Aconitum ferox, though a poison, as a nar- 

 cotic in rheumatism. Niyella sativa is alone cultivated in India, as in most eas- 

 tern countries, and continues in the present day, as in the most ancient times, to 

 be used both as a condiment and a medicine. 



The celebrated Indian poison called Bish or Bitch, being referred by all authori- 

 ties to Ranunculacea 3 , requires to be noticed, though it wouli not be easy, even in 

 the present state of confusion of Indian Materia Medica, to find an article of 

 which it is more difficult to give a satisfactory account, and of which, at the same 

 time, it is so necessary that we should have a clear idea. The subject to be enter- 

 ed into, with the detail which it requires, would claim a much greater space than 

 can be allotted to it here : littie more therefore can be done than to state the little 

 that is known, and to urge observers, who may be favourably situated, to prose- 

 cute the inquiry. 



Dr. Buchanan first acquainted the European world with the existence of four 

 kinds of Bitch. 1. Singya Bitch. 2. Bish or Bitch, the poison. 3. Bitchma, 

 a powerful bitter. 4. Nirbisi ; also without deleterious properties. The first Dr. 



B. referred to a species of Smilax ; the author has had two species of Convallaria, 

 called meetha-doodhya, and mohura-doodhya, represented to him as being of a 

 poisonous nature. The three other kinds of Bitch Dr. B. refers to the genus 

 Caltha, but for what reason it is difficult to discover, as the flower of the species 

 he describes are without the characteristics of the genus ; and the plant, he 

 allows, differs much in habit from Caltha palustris. It may be supposed, there- 

 fore, that he had only an opportunity of examining the flowers in a young state, 

 and it is known that when he published his description, he was without his speci- 

 mens. These are now in the East-Indian Herbarium, and have been all referred 

 by Dr. Wallich to the genus Aconitum. The specimens of Caltha ? Nirbisia and 



C. ? Codoa of Dr. Buchanan, appear to be Dr. Wallich' s Aconitum fer ox, while 

 those of C. ? Bishma, his Aconitum palmatum, all evidently in a young state, 

 and without flowers or fructification. That the virulent poison, emphatically 

 called Bish, i. e. the poison, is the root of Aconitum fer ox, admits, I think, of no 

 doubt. The root is brought down to the plains of India from the mountains where 



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