388 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



cases of piles I treated with fumigation, one suffered from a 

 swelling on the face, chest and abdomen with an erysipelatous 

 blush ; while the other was quite free from all these symptoms. 

 Both, however, were much benefited by the remedy in one siting 

 Although T have not seen any case of bad effects from internal 

 use of the marking-nut, yet there is no doubt that it is an irritant 

 poison in a large quantity or overdose " (Moodeen Sheriff). 



" Marking-nut is one of the few drugs which T have found 

 more or less useful in all the diseases for wich it is recommended 

 in Native and other medical works. These works, however, 

 speak of the usefulness of the drug in rheumatism in a very 

 casual manner and only as a local application ; but, according 

 to my own experience, it is, as an internal remedy, so useful 

 in the acute form of that disease that it deserves a special 

 attention. Used in full and repeated medicinal doses, the 

 relief it affords is very great and satisfactory, and I do not 

 hesitate in calling it a sovereign remedy in acute rheumatism. 

 It is certainly more sure and speedy in its action than salicylic 

 acid, salicylate of soda, colchicum, &c, and therefore the best 

 drug for the above complaint. The more recent and acute 

 the disease is, the more speedy and successful this meedicine 

 proves. Many of the patients suffering from acute rheumatism 

 who were brought to me in doolies or other vehicles, and who 

 were quite unable to sit or move without assistance, were able 

 from the use of the electuary or the acrid oil of this drug to 

 return to me walking on the 6th or 7th day after their first vist. 

 On a few occasions, again, I was pleasantly surprised to see 

 them walking lamely and coming to me on the very next or 

 3rd morning to say they were much better. In the latter case 

 the patients were all youths or very young men. 



" With regard to the preparations of the marking-nut I have 

 described (electuary and acrid oil), there is no difference 

 between the therapeutic uses of them, particularly in the 

 treatment of acute rheumatism; but the patients generally 

 prefer the former on account of its very pleasant taste. The 

 number of the doses of these preparations I have generally used 

 in the 24 hours is 4, and the dose of both is the same, viz., from 



