N. 0. DIPTERROOARPEAE. 157 



A lofty evergreen tree. Young branches compressed. Wood 

 rough, soft to moderately hard ; sap wood white, heart wood 

 red-brown, but not durable. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 

 entire or sinuate-crenate, acute, base rounded ; 5-12 by 2J-7in ; 

 glabrous on both surfaces or slightly pubescent, especially on 

 the nerves and margins ; lateral nerves 14-18 pair. Petiole 

 lj-3in. ; stipules with dense stellate canescene, pubescent to- 

 wards the apex, varies greatly in regard to the pubescence of 

 young shoots, leaves and inflorescence. Racemes 3-5-flowered. 

 Flowers Bin. diam ; Calyx-tube obconic, hairy, subspheroidal, 

 mouth contracted, unenlarged lobes deltoid-ovate. Petals pinkish 

 white. Nut pubescent. 



Habitat. — Eastern Bengal and Eastern Peninsula, from 

 Ohittagong and Pegu to Singapur ; not in Ceylon, nor in the 

 Konkan. 



Use : — The oleo-resin is applied externally to ulcers, ring- 

 worm, and other cutaneous affections (Watt.) It is stimulant 

 of mucous surfaces, particularly that of the geni to-urinary 

 system ; and also diuretic. In gonorrhoea and other affections 

 in which copaiba is generally employed, it has proved an 

 effectual remedy (Ph. Ind., p. 32). Quite recently it has been 

 brought prominently to notice by Dr. Dougall, of the Andamans, 

 as a remedy for leprosy ; but, as far as I have heard, the new 

 remedy is not likely to prove successful (Dymock). 



The best medical properties of this oil are its usefulness 

 in gonorrhoea and gleet, and in all forms of psoriasis, including 

 lepra vulgaris. In gonorrhoea and gleet, it is at least equal 

 to Copaiba, and the only difference between these two drugs 

 is that the former (Gurjun balsam) requires to be used in 

 a much larger dose (3ii to 3iii) to produce the same effect 

 as the latter. As Gurjun balsam is always used in the form 

 of emulsion with mucilage, the largeness of its dose is no 

 disadvantage. With regard to its usefulness in psoriasis and 

 lepra vulgaris, I am not aware of any other local stimulant 

 which is more efficacious in those diseases than this drug. I 

 have either cured or relieved many cases of the above affections 

 by the use of this drug, with little or no assistance of internal 



