INTRODUCTION. lix 



to the subject. They were not slow in recognising the import- 

 ance of the study of indigenous drugs. There were other 

 laborers also in the field. Dr. Waring, who edited the Indian 

 Pharmacopoeia so creditably, was one of the most painstaking 

 and careful observers of the properties and uses of indigenous 

 drugs. His attention was drawn to the subject when serving 

 out in Burma. The stock of his European medicines having 

 been exhausted, he was in great perplexity and hardly knew 

 what to do. In such a crisis, he turned to the medicinal plants 

 of the country. His extensive knowledge of Botany stood him 

 in good stead greatly. He found indigenous drugs to answer 

 his purposes as satisfactorily as the costly imported medicines 

 of Europe. The series of papers under the title, " Notes on 

 some of the principal Indigenous Tonics, Anthelmintics, &c, of 

 India," published in the early volumes of the " Indian Annals 

 of Medical Science," now defunct, shows the careful and pains- 

 taking manner in which he had studied the subject. 



The use of the Pharmacopoeia as a text book in the colleges 

 and schools of this country, has also been productive of some 

 good. The Pharmacopoeia Committee was not wrong in impart- 

 ing an educational character to their publication. The native 

 remedies having been rendered familiar during the period of 

 studentship, have been often made use of by Indian Medical 

 Graduates. 



Mention should also be made of the establishment of the Forest 

 Department and the School of Forestry in this country as helping 

 in increasing our knowledge of indigenous drugs. The forest 

 officers have brought to light several plants used medicinally 

 by the natives of this country. The late Dr. Stewart in his Pun- 

 jab Plants, mentioned a large number of medicinal plants used 

 by the rustics and villagers of the Panjab. Mr. Gamble and other 

 forest officers have also noticed the medicinal plants of other 

 parts of India. The increase in our knowledge of the proper- 

 ties and uses of the indigenous drugs by these means has not 

 been inconsiderable. 



The Calcutta International Exhibition of 1883-84 has done 

 much towards the study of indigenous drugs. Credit is due to 



