1837.] Catalogue of Plants collected at Bombay. 



367 



M. Fee denies that it is a lichen, and considers it as the result of a 

 leprous disease of the bark,' the stages in which he clearly and correctly 

 describes. It commences, he states, by little regular prominences, 

 surrounded by decayed epidermis. These tubercles increase in size, 

 become irregular in outline and confluent, and pass through the several 

 shades, between a clear yellow and iron-rust colour. 



When the disease is of long standing, the part affected acquires con- 

 siderable thickness, and is much deformed. No trace of organization, 

 can be detected in it by the naked eye. Examined by the microscope,, 

 it is found to be composed not of cellular tissue like Cryptogamic plants, 

 but of true vascular tissue as in the Phanerogamic class,-— a fact suf- 

 ficient to shew that the exuberance is not a lichenoid production. 



It is altogether unnecessary to add a minute description of the nux 

 vomica bark, since Fee's account of it under the name of the false an- 

 gustura, is as accurate as possible. 



I trust the identification of the long doubtful false angustura may be 

 ofpractical therapeutical utility, as well as pharmaceutical interest. 

 It is extremely rich in brucea, an alkali of exactly the same properties 

 as strychnea but fortunately but of one-twelfth the energy of that poi- 

 son. According to the recent experiments of Andral, Magendie and 

 and Chevalier, brucea is extremely effectual in the cure of paralysis,,, 

 atrophy, chronic rheumatism, sciatica, and several analogous affecti- 

 ons. I have much hope, too, that it will be found useful in the treat- 

 ment of intermittent andn-emittent fevers. The bark will now become 

 an article of some consequence as an export, since the prepara- 

 tion of brucea as a medicine was limited or almost prevented by the 

 rare and casual supply of the bark, from which it was obtained. la 

 fact, brucea was only to be found in the museums as a curiosity. In 

 the shops its price was as high as 40 shillings the ounce — hence the 

 virtues of the remedy were only ascertained, its benefits not diffusible. 

 We can now prepare it in Bengal for three or four rupees the ounce, 

 and I have no doubt its consum ption will become very extensive. — 

 Quarterly Journal of the Medical and Physical Society of Calcutta,— 

 No. 1, January 1837. October 22, 183G. 



Catalogue of Plants collected at Bombay. — By John Graham, Esq. 

 (Concluded from page 183, No. 14J. 



172. Datura fastuosa. Common. — 173. Dracaena ferrea. In flower 

 pots only. — 174. Dimocarpus litchi. In gardens, though not common. 

 It bears fruit here but not equal to that obtained from China.* — 175. 



* The Litchi forms the favourite fruit in Chinese deserts. It resemhles somewhat the 

 fruit of the Maple (Acer Campestre) in external appearance. The tree grows in a wild 

 state in French and Danes' Islands, Whampoa.— Edit, Records. 



