245 



Meteorological tables are given in the report showing that the 

 rainfall varies from 47*02 to 65*74 inches per year. This is very 

 low compared with what it is in what we consider Para rubber 

 countrv. 



H. N. R. 



MALAY DRUGS— Continued. 



Febrifuges. 



The Malay is not very accurate in his diagnosis of fever and 

 often talks about suffering from it when he has merely a feverish 

 cold or is generally speaking slightly unwell with a rise of tempera- 

 ture, but shivering fever and the more acute forms of malaria he 

 generally identifies correctly. For these fevers he uses a variety 

 of external and internal applications. 



Perhaps the best drug known to the Malay for fever is the Bidara 

 Pahit or Penawar Pahit, Eur y coma lati folia, Jack belonging to the 

 order Simarubex and allied to the Bitter wood Quassia amara and 

 Quassia chips, Picraena excelsa. Like all these plants it contains a 

 bitter principle which permeates the whole plant, it is the bark of 

 the root however, which is the part used. 



Holmes gives Penawar Pahit as Strychnos colubrina and gives 

 an account of its use by Malays and others. It is probably to be 

 found in the Kling shops, but I never came across it and the plant 

 is not wild here. Probably the Penawar Pahit described by him 

 as used by the Malays as a febrifuge is Eurycoma which is well 

 known in Johor whence he derived his specimens. 



Artocarpus integrifolia (Urticacese) Akar Nangka Bubor. The 

 roots of the Jack tree boiled, ground and drunk for fever with 

 delirium after three days. 



Sauropus albicans {Euphorbiacce) "Chekop Manis." A common 

 vegetable, the root is used for fever, being ground up and the decoc- 

 tion drunk. It is also used in difficulty of passing urine, so probably 

 like i s allies Phyllanthus it has diuretic properties. 



Gardenia florida {Rubiacese) "Akar Bunga China." The roots 

 used for fever with delirium. 



Durio zibet hinus (Malvacea?) Durian. The roots are used for 

 fever both ground up and rubbed on the body and a decoction 

 drunk after the fever has lasted three days. 



Corymbis veratrifolia {Orchidaceae) Kayu Hok (a Semang name). 

 A tall terrestrial orchid with sweet scented white flowers. "Collect 

 the green leaves bruise them in quantity, administer the juice either 

 alone or with the fine scrapings of Akar Bertak. It will cause 

 vomiting. Use for ague (Demum Kura) especially in children, no 

 water to be mixed with the juice. It is customary to cultivate the 

 plant for the occasion." This note and specimen were sent me from 

 Kelantan by Dr. Gimlette. 



