MEDICINAL PLANTS AND DRUGS. 16S 



Cjssia Fistula. (W.) Ameltds^'^) H. SuvernacaS. 



Murray. IL 510. 



WOODVILLE. III. 449, 

 Cjssia Alata. (W.) JDdd-merdeni^) Vk. Dddrughna S. 



This shrub is cultivated, in Bengal, as an ornament to the flower-gardena 

 The expressed juice of the leaves, mixed with common salt, is used ex- 

 ternally, for curing the ring-worms. From this quality, it has obtained its 

 Hindustani and Sanscrit names; and, for the same reason, it is called, 

 ■by RuMPHius, Herpetic a; and,, by French authors, Herhe a Dartres. Not- 

 withstanding this general prepossession in its favour, in the many trials 

 'Which I have made of it/ for curing hei-petic eruptions, I have oftener 

 failed than succeeded. 



Cedrela TjnAj (W.) rMn(3) H. Tunna dmd Cuveraca S. 



The first botanical des(;ription of this tree was given by Sir William 

 Jones, in the 4th Vol. of the As. Res. p. 273. The wood is'' esteemed 

 on account oi its close grain, and beautiful colour, resembling that of ma- 

 hogany, and is much employed, by the cabinet-makers in Calcutta, for 

 the purpose of being made into furniture. No part of the tree is used in 

 medicine. by the Hindus,; but a very intelligent English surgeon, now de- 

 ceased, found the powder of the bark, and the extra6t made from it, very 

 efficacious in the cure .of fevers. He also experienced great advantage 

 from the powder, applied externally, in the treatment of different kinds 

 of ulcers. See a letter to Dr. Duncan, from Mr. J. Kennedy, surgeon 

 at Chunar. (Annals of Medicine I. 387.) 



I HAVE not met with any other account of the medicinal qualities of the 

 T^^« bark; but, on so respe6table authority, I judged it a proper obje6t of 



(1) UmuUas. (S) Dadmiirdun. (3) Toou. 



