N. 0. AROIDEiE. 1339 



The tubers contain an acrid juice which should be got rid 

 of by through boiling and washing, otherwise the vegetable 

 is apt to cause troublesome irritation in the mouth and fauces. 

 Medicinally it is considered serviceable in hasmorrhoids ; in fact, 

 one of its Sanskrit synonyms is arshghna, or the curer of piles. 

 It is administered in this disease in a variety of forms. The 

 tuber is covered with a layer of earth and roasted in a fire ; 

 the raosted vegetable is given with the addition of oil and salt. 

 (U. C. DulA.) 



It has a mucilaginous taste and is faintly bitter,* and acrid ; 

 it is supposed to have restorative powers and is in much request. 

 (Dymock). 



The root used in boils and ophthalmia ; also as emmenagoue 

 (Lindley). 



Dr. Nasarvanji Fakir ji Surveyor, M.D., B.S.O., M.A., M.R.C.P., a distingu- 

 ished Graduate of the Bombay University, writes : " The wild variety (under 

 microscope,) shows two forms of crystals, while the cultivated variety shows 

 only one form. I shall first describe those crystals which are found in both the 

 varieties and then those found in the wild variety only. Those found in the 

 former I shall call the white crystals ; while those found in the latter or wild 

 variety only will be described as brown crystals. The white crystals are 

 about 120 p| in length and 3/^ in thickness. They are acicular and glistening 

 and have a double contour. They are sharp-pointed at either extremity 

 and always straight. They appear to be rigid ; more numerous in the older 

 parts, while they are almost absent from the youngest part (e.g., leaf-bud). 

 They are insoluble in cold water ; slightly soluble in boiling water. Acetic 

 acid dissolves them with evolution of gas (C 2 probably). 



" On incinerating a thin film of the juice on a slide, these crystals were 

 found to be fractured in numerous places, while many appeared to be either 

 transversely striated or granular. This was due perhaps to the fact that 

 the water of crystallization was driven out by the heat. These crystals 

 were found to be scattered about, not collected in definite bundles. They 

 were probably carbonate of calcium. 



" The brown variety was only found, as has been already remarked, in the 

 wild Amorphophallus. These crystals were very fine ; about one-third the size 

 of the first. They were also acicular, but did not show a double contour. They 

 were found in the cells arranged in sheaves, and were distinctly brown when 

 viewed in a mass. On adding a drop of water to the juice of the tuber, these 

 cells swelled up and discharged the crystals. When examined singly, the 



* It is not at all bitter. It is the tuber of Sauromatum guttatam, Schott, 

 which is bitter, and therefore known in the Thana District as Bitter suran.— 

 K.R.K. 



| fxsn T ^ of a Millimetre. 



