LEGUMINOSA-MIMOSEZ. 03 
the Antilles, the Smaller Algarobe, Algaroville or Cashew, which yields 
a certain amount of gum on incision, and whose fruits serve as 
fodder.’ Again, the fruits of many species of Inga, Pithecolobium, 
Leucena, &c., are also cited as food stuffs.” 
It has, however, been remarked that dangerous acrid principles may 
here and there occur mixed with the nutritive substances in these fruits 
or seeds. Thus P. iuliflora itself may become deleterious under certain 
circumstances.’ The seeds of Hntada scandens are used as emetics in 
India and Java. Several Mimosas are purgative, and the pulp of 
Inga vera’ is a laxative. By distilling the bark of Acacia ferruginea’ 
and /eucophlea’ with the sweet juice of the Palms a poisonous fer- 
mentible liquor is obtained in India. The root of several Brazilian 
Mimosas is venomous, and that of WM. pudica, of disagreeable scent, 
is an irritant. The powdered seed of MV. acaciodes Buntu. is used 
in Guiana as a sternutatory. It is no doubt a similar virtue which 
makes the Moucenna’ of Abyssinia so excellent a remedy for worms, 
and especially tapeworms. It is the bark of 4. anthelminthica® which 
has this quality, analogous to that of Kowsso, though it would seem 
more marked; for in Abyssinia Mougenna is regarded as of more 
certain action, invariably killing the tapeworm, of which Kousso 
often expels a portion only.* 
Astringency is one of the most marked qualities of the Afimosea, 
1 As useful as the cereals, according to Mac- 
FADYEN (£7. Jam., i. 312). 
2 See Rosenru., op. cit., 1063-1065.—This 
is especially the case with Pithecolobium dulce 
Bentu., salutare Bentu., and parvifolium 
Bentu., Inga edulis Mart., sapida H. B. K., 
dulcis Mazt., punctata W., etc. 
3 According to MacrapyEn it is after rain 
has moistened the seeds, so that they germinate 
and evolve carbonic acid in the stomachs of the 
cattle. 
4 W., Spec., iv. 1014.—DC., Prodr., n, 18. 
—NMimosa Inga L., Spec., 1493 (see RosENTH., 
op. cit., 1064). 
5 DC., op. cit., 458, n. 105.—H. By., Loe. 
cit., 107, n. 16.—Mimosa ferruginea Roxs., 
Fl. Ind., ii. 561. 
6 W., Spec., iv. 1063.—DC., loc. cit., 462, 
n. 12.—H. By., loc. cit., 118, n. 25. This 
species has been supposed to produce the gum 
Kutera (now referred by GuIBOURT, op. cit., 
iii. 421), to one of the Cactacee or Ficoidee. 
7 Or Ab a, B , Bi a, Me- 
senna, Mussena; the Bicinna of Tigré and 
‘Kumada of Sawa. 
8 Besenna anthelminthica A. Riou., Tent. 
Fil. Abyss. i. 253.— Albizzia anthelminthica 
Ap. BR., in Bull. Soc. Bot. de Fr., vii. 902.— 
Fourn., Des. Ténif. empl. en Abyss., Theses de 
Par, (1861), 37; in Ann. Sc. Nat., sér. 4, xiv. 
380, t. 14.—Mog., Bot. Med., 145.—H. By., in 
Dict. Encycl. des Se. Médic., ii. 416. 
9 Mougenna, on the contrary, reduces the 
worm to a sort of pulp, and is considered in 
Abyssinia of more powerful action than Kousso ; 
but the latter is employed in preference because 
the people do not wish as a rule to get rid of 
the tapeworm completely. The powdered bark 
is employed in doses of about sixty grammes. 
This bark is from 2% to 5. millimetres thick, 
smooth or cracked, greyish outside, and pale 
yellow within. Its taste is first sweet, then 
astringent, and finally nauseous. From the 
bark an extract has been prepared, which has 
sometimes been found useful. The bark of the 
large branches is supposed to be the more active. 
From this drug has been extracted a very sapid 
acrid acid greyish resin soluble in ammonia. 
The results of the administration of Mougenna 
in Europe are very contradictory. 
