1837.] Notes on the Drugs called Mishme Teeta and Pucha Pat. 349 



to Thunberg. The plant comes near to Coptis Teeta, agreeing with it 

 in the fern-like appearance, of the leaves, from whence it derives its 

 name, and which indeed at first deceived me into a suppojition of ours 

 being a member of that tribe. 



The nearest allied genus is Isopyrwn, of which Mr. Royle's very 

 valuable and important work, Illustrations of the Botany of the Hima- 

 laya, contains descriptions and figures of two species ; namely Isopyrum 

 grandiflorum Fischer, Royle Illustr. p. 55, t. 11. fig. 3, from Kunnawur; 

 and /. microphyllum Royle, loc. cit. fig. 4, (tab; 1 being quoted by mis- 

 take in both instances for tab. 11), from Buddrinath, where it was found 

 by the plant-collectors employed under me. 



As it is very probable that the medicinal properties of Mishme 

 Teeta will be found to agree with those of the Gold thread of North 

 America (Coptis trifolia), so called from the colour of the root, I extract 

 in this place the following interesting account from Professor Bigelow's 

 work quoted above, p. 62. 



" The root of this plant is a pure intense bitter, scarcely modified by 

 any other taste. In distillation it communicates no decided sensible 

 quality to water. The constituent with which it most abounds is a 

 bitter extractive matter, soluble both in water and alcohol. It seems 

 destitute of resinous or gummy portions, since the residuum from an 

 evaporated solution in alcohol is readily dissolved in water, and vice 

 versa. It is devoid of astringency when chewed in the mouth, and it 

 gives no indication of the presence of tannin or gallic acid when tested 

 with animal gelatin, or with sulphate of iron. The abundance of the 

 bitter principle is evinced by the acetate of lead and nitrate of silver, 

 both of which throw down a copious precipitate. The sulphuric, nitric, 

 and muriatic acids occasion no change, and the muriate of tin gives 

 only a slight precipitate, after some time standing. 



" Of this article larger quantities are sold in the druggists' shops in. 

 Boston, than of almost any indigenous production. The demand for it 

 arises from its supposed efficacy as a local application in aphthous, and 

 other ulcerations of the mouth. Its reputation, however, in these cases 

 is wholly unmerited, since it possesses no astringent or stimulating 

 quality, by which it can acton the ulcerated spots; and where benefit 

 has attended its use, it is doubtless to be ascribed to other articles pos- 

 sessing the above properties, with which it is usually combined. 



" As a pure tonic bitter, capable of strengthening the viscera, and 

 promoting digestion, it is entitled to rank with most articles of that 

 kind now in use. Its character resembles that of Gentian, Quassia, and 

 Columbo, being a simple bitter without aroma or astringency. The 

 tincture, made by digesting half an ounce of the bruised root in eight 

 ounces of diluted alcohol, forms a preparation of a fine yellow colour, pos- 

 sessing the whole bitterness of the plant. I have given it in various in- 



