436 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 





The Persimmon is found from New York to Louisiana, rarely above the 



42° of latitude, but exceeding- 

 ly common to the South and 

 West. It flowers in May and 

 June, but does not ripen its 

 fruit until the first frosts in 

 the autumn. Before this it 

 is very astringent, but when 

 fully ripe is sweet and plea- 

 sant-flavoured. This fruit, in 

 several stages of growth, has 

 been examined by Mr. B. R. 

 Smith, who found that in a 

 green state it contained Tan- 

 nin, Sugar, a little Malic acid, 

 and Woody fibre, &c. ; that 

 when ripe, the sugar has in- 

 creased in quantity, as has 

 also the malic acid, and the 

 tannin has almost disappeared 

 (Am. Jour. Pharm., xii. 

 161). The wood is white and 

 haro 1 , and is used for a variety 

 of purposes. A gum exudes 

 from the bark in small quan- 

 tity. The officinal part is the 

 bark ; this is very bitter and 

 astringent ; it has never been 

 analyzed, but evidently con- 



D. virginiana. 



tains much Tannin and Gallic acid (Woodhouse, Inaug. Diss. 



Medical Properties. — This bark is tonic and astringent, and is much em- 

 ployed in some parts of the country in the treatment of intermittent fevers, 

 and as an astringent in complaints of the bowels. Dr. B. S. Barton (Collec- 

 tions, 11) says, "I used the bark in ulcerated sore throat;" and it has since 

 been employed for the same disease with much benefit. I am inclined to 

 believe that it is the most powerful of our native astringents. The unripe 

 fruits have also been highly recommended by Dr. Mattauer (Am. Jour. Med. 

 Sci., Oct. 1842) as an astringent, in the form of infusion, syrup, and tincture, 

 in various forms of bowel disease and hemorrhage. 



The ripe fruits are very grateful, and are said to possess some anthelmintic 

 properties. They afford an alcoholic liquor on distillation, somewhat resem- 

 bling brandy, and a kind of beer is prepared from them by forming the pulp 

 into cakes with bran, drying them in an oven, and bruising them afterwards 

 in water. The fruit varies much both in size and flavour; in some localities 

 it is very large and delicious, whilst in others it is small and astringent even 

 when fully ripe. This tree has never been cultivated, though it fully deserves 

 it, for if it should improve in the same ratio as the plum, peach, &c, it would 

 be a great addition to our autumn fruits, as it ripens at a time when most 

 others have disappeared. 



The other species of Diospyros are principally noted for the value of their 

 wood. Ebony is the product of D. ebenus, D. tessellaria, JD. ebenaster, D. 

 Roylcij &c. Some of them also afford edible fruits, as the D. chloroxylon 

 and 1). amara ; this latter bears berries as large as an orange, and are much 

 used in China (Annal. Soc. Linn. Par. 1824). The D. kaki, of Japan, also 



