N. 0. MENISPERMACEiE. 51 



10-30 grains. The starchy matter is administered in ghee, or with 

 molasses, or in sugar and water, or in milk. This information is 

 collected from the works of Dr, Tribhuvandas Motichand Shah 

 of Junagadh and Pandit Jaya Krishna Indrajt of Porebtindar. 

 (1909-1910) : 



In a paper, entitled " A note on some Indian Drugs/ 5 with 

 exhibits of medicinal preparations, read before the section of 

 Pharmacology of the 2nd Session of the International Medical 

 Congress of Australasia, held at Melbourne (Victoria) in January 

 1889, Surgeon K. R. Kirtikar made the following observations 

 on T. cordifolia (Gnlwel or garola). The preparation exhibited 

 was a powder of the dried stem of the plant prepared by the 

 late Mr. M. C. Pariera of Bandra, who was for a long time con- 

 nected with the Government Medical Stores of Bombay, under 

 the late Brigade-Surgeon W. Dymock. Surgeon Kirtikar said 

 as follows :—" The powder of the stem is used in making an 

 infusion in the proportion of one ounce of the powder to ten 

 fluid ounces of cold water. The medicinal value of the plant 

 is due to a small quantity of Berherine. It is used as an 

 alterative and tonic, and has enjoyed the reputation among 

 ancient Hindu writers of being an aphrodisiac ; but as a 

 drug it being never prescribed alone as an aphrodisiac, its 

 reputation as such is of a doubtful nature. The dose of the 

 infusion is one to three ounces. There is a starch obtained from 

 the roots and stems of the plant which goes under the name 

 Gulweliche-satwa (the starch of Gulwel), which is similar to 

 Arrow-root in appearance and effect. It answers not only as 

 i remedial medicinal agent in chronic diarrhoea and some forms 

 of obstinate chronic dysentery, but it is also a valuable nutrient, 

 when there is intestinal irritability and inability to digest any 

 kind of food. I have myself had experience of the usefulness 

 of this starch. Dr. Dymock says ' through not having been 

 washed, the starch has been found to retain some of the 

 bitterness of the plant.' I have several times tasted the starch 

 myself and have not found it bitter to any appreciable degree, 

 probably from the fact that my specimens were different from 

 those of Dr. Dymock (and perhaps fresh and better-washed) ; 

 but I have no doubt that the starch has some medicinal property 



