1835.] 



Observations 07i Mudai\ 



79 



the loss of his notes made when in large practice at the 

 general hospital at Madras in ] 776, 77 and 78, he cannot 

 be so full on the virtues of this valuable and much neg- 

 lected root as he could wish ; but has no doubt that it 

 would answer every purpose of ipecacuana." The natives 

 also employ it as an emetic ; the bark of about three or four 

 inches of the fresh root they rub on a stone and mix with a 

 little water for a dose ; it generally purges at the same time." 

 To this is added a note from Dr. Russel who informs Rox- 

 burgh, that Dr. Anderson, Physician General at Madras^ 

 had for many years before known it used both by European 

 and Native troops in the d3^sentery w^hich at that time hap- 

 pened to be epidemic in the camp. The store of ipecacuana 

 had, it seems, been wholly expended, and Dr. A. finding the 

 practice of the black doctors much more successful than his 

 own, acknowledged that he was not ashamed to take in- 

 struction from them; which he pursued with success!" As 

 it is certainly an article of the Hindoo materia medica 

 highly deserving of attention," I shall endeavour to make it 

 better known by sending a drawing for insertion in a future 

 number. 



The Tylophora tenuissima is a smaller and much rarer 

 plant ; it is the Nanjarapanjan of Ainslie ; the powdered 

 roots of it are used as an emetic^ 



Hoy a veridifiora (cooringa, Ainslie), This like the true 

 asclepias vomitoria. is a very common and widely distribut- 

 ed plant. Ainslie informs us that the ''root is prized for 

 its expectorant and diaphoretic qualities — an infusion of the 

 root is prescribed as an emetic to children who are troubled 

 with phlegm, and also in fiux cases in which it would appear 

 to prove beneficial by possessing virtues similar to our 

 ipecacuana :" a decoction of the leaves is given in cases of 

 indigestion and is said to act as a mild aperient. 



Deemia extensa (vaylie partie, Ainslie). This like the 

 preceding is a widely distributed plant easily known from all 

 the asclepiadea) of India, by its follicles being covered with 

 soft fieshy inoffensive prickles, ''hedge-hogged" Uoxb. whence 

 his name echinata. — The juice of the leaves of this plant is 

 said to possess both emetic and purgative qualities, and to 



