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HOCKINGS' GARDEN MANUAL. 



this drug imported from England has very materially 

 limited the demand. This circumstance renders it 

 still more desirable that every endeavour should be 

 made to naturalize the tree in the warm districts of 

 Australia; and, in the meantime, the fruit could be 

 readily imported in a very fresh state from Ceylon 

 (where the price for them is from three to five shillings 

 the hundred), and the different preparations made in 

 the colony at a much cheaper rate than those imported 

 from Europe. The Dutch and Portuguese residents 

 in Ceylon distil a fragrant cosmetic from the rind and 

 blossom, called by them < Marmell Water.' Although 

 the properties of the fruit have been mentioned by 

 some author as astringent, it is really mildly aperient, 

 and acts by removing the irritation of the mucous 

 membrane of the stomach and bowels in diarrhoea and 

 dysentery, and also obviates costiveness arising from 

 debility. It has been regarded by some Italian prac- 

 titioners as a valuable remedy in the scorbutic form of 

 dysentery, and to succeed when all other remedies have 

 failed. When the fresh and ripe fruit is used in 

 Ceylon, it is at first slightly boiled, after which the 

 rind is easily broken, and the pulp is eaten with a 

 spoon. In a case of great irritation of the bowels, one 

 was taken in that way every morning, and in about an 

 hour relief was experienced, the disease diminishing 

 daily, until the patient was quite recovered; at the 

 same time a farinaceous diet was observed, at first 

 without stimulants, and afterwards animal food with- 

 out vegetables. It appears to act by removing the 

 distressing straining, operating more gently even than 

 olive oil. The fruit is also named, in some parts of 

 India, 6 Bengal Quince.' In Calcutta the pulp of the 

 fruit is mixed with water, and drank in that form, and 

 some persons use the dried fruit grated, or in decoction, 

 when the recent fruit cannot be obtained. The fruit 

 also makes an excellent jelly, which has been found 

 very serviceable to obviate costiveness." 



