39S FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



poison. As a medicine, tobacco-leaf owes its value to 

 its powerfully sedative and antispasmodic properties. 

 In overdoses it acts as an acro-narcotic poison. The 

 imports of tobacco into Great Britain for the year 

 1886 amounted to 87,022,051 lbs., the home con- 

 sumption amounting to 52,817,991 lbs. — 'Medicinal 

 Plants,' Bentley and Trimen, No. 191, &c. 



SCROPHULARINE^. 



Herpestris Monniera, H. B. and K. — Annual creeping 

 plant. The Hindus regard this as a powerful diuretic 

 and aperient, but there is no trustworthy evidence of 

 its value in these respects. According to Roxburgh 

 the juice of the leaves conjoined with petroleum is 

 used in India in rheumatism. Whatsoever benefit is 

 •derived from this formula is doubtless due to the 

 petroleum, — 'Pharmacopoeia of India,' Waring, p. 

 161. 



Distribution : Upper Guinea. 



Paraguay Herb ( Vandellia di^usa, L.). — Small herb. 

 In South America this plant is used as an emetic. For 

 this purpose a good handful of it is boiled in half a 

 litre of water, and a small cupful taken every ten 

 minutes until vomiting ensues. Employed in this 

 manner the vandellia is as certain in its action as 

 ipecacuanha, without occasioning violent purgations 

 or uncontrollable vomiting ; the only drawback to its 



