MEZEREON. 



331 



stance to possess little diuretic power, and to 

 have no material effect upon the urinary organs. 

 Dr CuUen deems that its only beneficial effect 

 arises from its astringent properties. Dr With- 

 ering says, "perhaps we shall find it no better 

 than other vegetable astringents, some of which 

 have long bfeen used by the country people in 

 gravelly complaints, and with very great advan- 

 tage, though hitherto unnoticed by the regular 

 practitioners." The leaves may be used either 

 in powder or boiled in water. A small tea- 

 spoonful of the powder is given twice a-day. 



Catechu C acacia catechu). Natural family 

 leguminoscB ; polygamia, moncecia, of Linnseus. 

 The small tree which yields the valuable astrin- 

 gent called catechu, is a native of the moun- 

 tainous parts of India. It attains tlie height of 

 twelve feet, and one foot in diameter. The 

 trunk is covered with a thick, tough, brown 

 bark, and towards the top divides into many 

 close branches. The leaves are bipinuated or 

 doubly winged, and are placed alternately upon 

 the younger branches. The partial pinnae are 

 nearly two inches long, and are commonly from 

 fifteen to thirty pair, having small glands inserted 

 between the pinnae; each wing is usually fur- 

 nished with about forty pair of pinnated or 

 linear lobes, beset with short hairs. The flowers 

 are hermaphrodite, and stand in close spikes, 

 which arise fi-om the axillae of the leaves. The 

 seeds are contained in lance-shaped pods. 



The highly astringent substance long known 

 under the name of terra Japonica, or more pro- 

 perly catechu, was long used in Europe before it 

 was known how it was actually produced. 

 Clusius and others supposed that this substance 

 was extracted from the kernel of a nut, the 

 produce of a species of palm, and confounded 

 with the areca or beetle nut. According to Mr 

 Kerr, however, in the province of Bahar, where 

 the catechu is manufactured, the price of the 

 areca nut far exceeds that of the catechu. But 

 he thinks it probable that where this nut is in 

 great plenty, they may perhaps join some of the 

 fruit in making the extract to answer a double 

 purpose; for the most fi-equent use of both is in 

 chewing them together, as Europeans do tobacco; 

 to these two substances they add a little shell 

 lime, and a leaf called pauw. 



The preparation of catechu is as follows : — 



After felling the trees the manufacturer care- 

 fully cuts off all the exterior white part of the 

 wood. The interior coloured wood is cut into 

 chips, with which he fills a narrow-mouthed, 

 unglazed, earthen pot, pouring water upon them 

 until he sees it among the upper chips. When 

 this is half evaporated by boiling, the decoction 

 without straining, is poured into a flat earthen 

 pot, and boiled to one-third part. This is set in 

 a cool place for one day, and afterwards evapor- 

 ated by the heat of the sun, stirring it several 



times in the day; when it is reduced to a con- 

 siderable thickness it is spread upon a mat or 

 cloth, which has previously been covered with 

 the ashes of cow dung. This mass is divided 

 into square or quadrangular pieces by a string, 

 and completely dried by tui^ing them fi-equently 

 in the sun, until they are fit for sale. In making 

 the extract, the pale brown wood is preferred, 

 as it produces the finer whitish extract; the 

 darker the wood is the blacker the extract, and 

 of less value. This extract is called cutt by the 

 natives. In its ordinary state it is a dry, pul- 

 verulent substance, outwardly of a reddish colour, 

 internally of a shining dark brown, tinged with 

 a reddish hue. In the mouth it discovers con- 

 siderable astringency, succeeded by a sweetish, 

 mucilaginous taste. It dissolves almost entirely 

 in water, leaving only the impurities with which 

 it is mixed, and which are of a sandy or earthy 

 nature. Of the pure matter, spirits dissolves 

 about seven-eights into a deep red liquor. The 

 part undissolved is an almost insipid, mucila- 

 ginous substance. 



In medicine this substance is employed in all 

 cases where an astringent is required, especially 

 in relaxed states of the intestines and uterine 

 vessels. In ulcerations of the gums, mouth, or 

 throat, it is also beneficial. In India an oint- 

 ment is prepared, composed of four ounces of 

 catechu, one ounce of alum, and half an ounce 

 of white resin. These are reduced to a fine 

 powder, and mixed with the hand, adding olive 

 oil ten ounces, and a sufficient quantity of water. 

 To all sores and ulcers in warm climates, astrin- 

 gent applications of this kind are found to be useful. 



For internal use, a simple infusion in warm 

 water, with the addition of a little cinnamon 

 powder, is the best mode in which it can be pre- 

 pared. 



Mezereon (daphne mezereon) . Natural family 

 thymeleee ; octandria, monogynia, of Linnaeus. 

 The mezereon is a hardy shrub, and a native of 

 England, though not very commonly to be met 

 with in a wild state. It grows to the height of 

 five or six feet, and sends off several branches. 

 The exterior bark is smooth, and of a gray colour. 

 The root is of a fibrous texture, of a pale colour, 

 and covered with smooth, olive-coloured bark. 

 The leaves are few, tender, lance-shaped, sessile, 

 and deciduous, and appear at the termination of 

 the branches after the flowers have expanded. 

 The flowers surround the branches in thick 

 clusters; they are sessile, monopetalous, tubular, 

 having the limb divided into four oval segments, 

 commonly of a purple hue. The seed is con- 

 tained in a round reddish berry. In England 

 this shrub is said to be frequently seen near 

 Andover, in Hampshire, and Laxfield, in Suffolk. 

 It is a common plant in gardens on account of 

 the beauty of its early blowing flowers, which 

 appear in February or March. 



