F A B A C E JE. 269 



anthers. The ovary is oval, supporting a slender style, and terminated by a simple 

 stigma. The legume is straight, smooth, and pointed, containing six or eight roundish 

 seeds. 



The Catechu-tree is found in several parts of India, and affords one of the 

 articles known in commerce under the name of Catechu, Terra Japonica, &c. 

 This was formerly supposed to be an earth derived from Japan, and its true 

 origin was first pointed out by Mr. Kerr (Med. Obs. and Inquir. v.) . It is 

 an extract prepared from the wood of this tree, and the process of making it 

 is thus described by Mr. Kerr and others. The sap-wood is all removed, and 

 the heart or coloured portion cut into small chips, and placed with water in 

 earthen pots in an oven or fire-place, and the fluid evaporated to one-half, and 

 then strained into earthen pots, and further evaporated till it becomes some- 

 what consistent, when it is poured into clay moulds of a square form, or 

 placed on mats, and cut into a quadrangular shape by means of a string, and 

 then completely dried in the shade. 



This forms one of the many kinds of Catechu found in commerce, and is 

 the best, especially when light-coloured. There are two varieties, in square 

 cakes, one much darker and inferior to the other, but both probably from the 

 Acacia ; but, besides these, there are some twelve or fifteen others, differing 

 in appearance and quality, the origin of many of which is wholly unknown ; 

 most of them, however, coming from the East Indies. These have been 

 ably investigated by M. Guibourt (Hist.des Drogues), and Dr. Pereira (Ele- 

 ments Mat. Med.), and shown partly to be derived from the Areca catechu, 

 partly from the Uncaria Gambir, but generally are of unknown origin. 

 These various products differ much in the form of the pieces and their enve- 

 lopes, as well as in their quality; some being almost pure, whilst others con- 

 tain a large proportion of earthy matter, or other impurities. For an account 

 of the various kinds of Catechu in the Paris drug market, a paper by M. Gui- 

 bourt, in the Journ. Phil. Coll. Pharmacy, iv. 49 (from Journ. de Pharm.), 

 may be consulted with advantage ; and I may mention that most of these va- 

 rieties, and some not mentioned by him, may be occasionally found in our 

 shops. 



Catechu has often been analyzed; the best consists of one-half of Tannin, 

 and one-third of a peculiar extractive, which has received the name of Cate- 

 chine, to both of which it owes its peculiar properties. Catechu is applied to 

 various purposes in the arts, and is largely employed in the East, when 

 mixed with the Betel-nut, for chewing, a practice almost universal through- 

 out the Indian continent and islands. 



Medical Properties, SfC. — Catechu is a powerful astringent, much resem- 

 bling the extract of rhatany in its effects, and is an extremely valuable artide 

 of its class, and may be advantageously employed in all cases where it is 

 wished to restrain immoderate discharges, where these are not attended with 

 inflammatory action, or produced by congestion. It is used in affections of 

 the mouth and throat, especially where there is a debility or relaxation of the 

 parts, as in relaxed uvula and in loss of voice. In form of lozenges, mixed 

 with gum arabic and sugar, it has been found very useful to persons who 

 have occasion to speak long in public, as it diminishes or prevents the hoarse- 

 ness consequent to too great exercise of the vocal organs ; it has also proved 

 useful in an aphthous condition of the mouth and scorbutic affections of the 

 gums. As a topical application to ulcers it is sometimes beneficial, where 

 they are of a phagedenic character. " In India," Mr. Kerr says, " the extract 

 is a principal ingredient in one of their ointments of great repute ; composed 

 of blue vitriol four drachms, catechu four ounces, alum nine drachms, white 

 resin four ounces ; these are reduced to a fine powder, and mixed with the 



