46 Stable Management and the Prevention of Disease 



Another kind of oil, expressed from the seeds of tara mera 

 —a plant closely allied to mustard — is used by natives in 

 the treatment of mange, and is a good remedy, though irritat- 

 ing to the skin, and therefore only fit to be applied over 

 small portions of it at a time. It is on this account less 

 useful than milder kinds of oil mixed with sulphur, which 

 can be rubbed over the whole body without fear. 



The above are the medicines most commonly bought at 

 bazaars, but there are many others which are extremely 

 useful and well worth study. I would strongly advise every 

 one in charge of horses in India to buy an excellent little 

 book upon 'Bazaar Medicines,' by Dr, Waring, formerly surgeon 

 in the Indian Army. It is full of important information, and 

 the most reliable work upon the subject that I have ever 

 seen. It is sold by Churchill, of New Burlington Street, 

 London. 



There is only one medicine in the use of which the book 

 might mislead, and to which it is therefore important to draw 

 attention. 



In describing aconite Dr. Waring only mentions the 

 Aconitum heterophyllum, which grows in India, and is 

 called atis in Hindustani. This is not very poisonous, being 

 given in half-dram doses to men with intermittent fever, 

 and is very different in its effects to the Aconitum napellus 

 from which Fleming's tincture and that of the British Phar- 

 macopoeia are made. It is advisable to obtain this tincture 

 from the Government stores ; but when not procurable, an 

 excellent substitute can be made from the root of the Aconi- 

 tum ferox, which is sold in the bazaars. It is fully as strong 

 as the napellus, and belongs to the same natural order of 

 plants, the Eanunculacese. Its Hindustani name is mahur, 

 though it is sometimes called bish or bikh, which merely 

 means poison. It grows in the Himalayas, and is said to 

 be used by the natives in some parts of those mountains for 

 poisoning their arrows. 



The root of mahur can readily be distinguished from that 

 of atis, by its giving a tingling sensation to the tongue and 

 throat — while the latter is only bitter without any tingling. 



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