76 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Aug. 1, 1900. 
canth, it is a favourite remedy for lioarseness with 
professional singers and public spealters. In pu rid 
Bore throat wiiether symptomatic or strictly local, 
gargles of an infusion of red pepper are often very 
usefullj' resorted to" {0' Sliauylinessij, Beng. Dispens. 
468). " It is employd in medicine in combination with 
cinchona in intermittent and lethargic affections and 
also in atonic gout. It is a valuable adjunct to bitter 
tonics, and other stimulants in weak statef of the 
stomach ; in cold leucophlegmatic habits, dyspepsia and 
flatulence, and as a gargle in relaxed states of the throat 
it is highly extolled and has also been used with 
success in the advanced stages of rheumatism. In 
native practice it is given, in conjunction with 
asafoetida and sweet flag root, in cholera. By German 
physicians it is supposed to be particularly injurious 
in gouorrhoia,' {Murraij's PI. and drugs of Sind). 
Dr. Sakharam Arjun says that the fruit is used 
as a stimulant in snake-bite. 
Chemical composition. — "IJucholz, in 1816, and 
about the same time Braoonnot, traced the acridity 
of capsicum to a substance called casiciii. It is ob- 
tained by treating the alcoholic extract of ether, and 
is a thick yellowish red liquid, but slightly soluble 
iu water. AVhen gently heated it becomes very fluid, 
and at a higher temperature is dissipated in fumes 
which are extremely irritating to respiration. It is 
evidently a mixed substance consisting of resinous 
and fatty matters. 
" Felletar, in 1869, exhausted capsicum fruits with 
dilate sulphuric acid and distilled the decoction with 
potash. The distillate, which was strongly>lkaline 
and smelt like conine, was saturated with sulphuric 
acid, evaported to dryness and exhausted with absolute 
aloohol. The solution, after evaporation of the 
alcohol, was treated with potash, and yielded by 
distillation a volatile alkaloid having the odour of 
conine. 
" From experiments made by one of us (P.) we can 
fully confirm the observations of felletar. We 
have obtained the volatile base in question, and 
find it to have the smell of conine. It occurs both 
in the pericarp and in the seeds, but in so small 
a proportion that we were unsuccessful in isolating 
it in sufficient quantity to allow of accurate exa- 
mination, 
■'Dragendorf states (1871) that petroleum either is 
the best solvent for the alkaloid of capsicum ; he 
obtained crystals of its hydrochlorate, the aqueous 
solution of which was precipitated by most of the 
nsnal tests, but not by tannic acid. 
'' The colouring matter of capsicum fruits is 
spariogly soluble in alcohol, but readily in chloroform. 
After evaporation an intensely red soft mass is ob- 
tained, which is not much altered by potash; it 
turns first blue, then black, with concentrated sul- 
phuric acid, like many other yellow colouring substances. 
By alcohol chiefly palmatic acid is extracted from 
the fruit, as shown by Thresh in 1877. 
" The fruits of Capsicum fastigiatum have a some- 
what strong odour ; on distilling consecutively two 
quantities, each of 50fc, we obtained a scanty amount 
of flocculent fatty matter which possesses an odour 
suggestive of parsley. Both this matter, as well as 
the distilled water, were neutral to litmus-paper and 
the water tasteless. We separated the latter and ex- 
posed the remaining greasy mass to a temperature 
of about 50O0., when it for the m lat part melted. 
The clear liquid on cooling solidified and now con- 
sisted of tutted crystals, which we further purified 
by recrysfcallization from alcohol. Thus about two 
centigrammes were obtained of a natural white stea- 
roptene having a deciedly aromatic, not very per- 
sistent taste, and by no means acrid, but rather like 
that of essential oil of parsley. The crystals melted at 
38°C. On keeping them for some days at the tem- 
perature of the water-bath, covered with a watch- 
glass, some drops of essential oil were volatilized, 
which had the same taste and did not solidify; 
the crystals were ejnsequently accompanied by a 
liquid oil When kept £gr some days more in that 
condition, the crystals themselces began to be volati- 
lized, and the part remaining b-hind acquired biown- 
ish hue. This, no doubt, points out another impurity, 
as we ascertained by the following experiment. 
With boiling solution of potash, the stear.iptene 
produces a kind of coap which on cooling yields a 
transparent jelly. If this is dissolved and diluted, 
it becomes turbid by addition of an acid. This pr b- 
ably depends upon the presence of a little fatty 
matter (a suggestion which is confirmed by the 
somewhat offensive smell given off by our stearoptene 
if it is heated in a glass' tube. 
"Buchheim's ' CapoIcol' is in our opinion a doubt- 
ful substance. 
" Thresh (1876-77) Bucceeded in isolating a well- 
defined, highly active principle, the Caps/iicin, from 
the extract which he obtained by exhausting Cayenne 
pepper with petroleum. From the red liquor dilute 
caustic lye removes capsaicin, which is to be preci- 
pitated in minute crystals by passing carbonic acid 
through the alkline solution. They may be puri- 
fied by reorystallizing them for either alcohol, either, 
benzine, glacial acetic acid, or hot bisulphide of 
carbon; in petroleum capsaicin is but very sparingly 
soluble, yet dissolves abundantly on addilition of 
fatty oil. The latter being present in the pericarp 
is the cause why capsaicin can be extracted by the 
above process. 
" The crystals of capsaicin are colourless and answer 
to the formula CgHUOa; they melt at 59°C., and 
begin to volatilize at 115°C. ; but decomposition can 
only be avoided by great care. The vapours of cap- 
saicin are of the most dreadful aridity, and even 
the ordinary manipulation of that substance re- 
q iires rnucli precaution. Capsaicin is not a gluco- 
side; it is a powerful rubifaoie t, and taken inter- 
nally produces very violent burning in the stomach" 
( Pharmacograph ia ) . 
Special Opinions.— §" Stimulant and rubefacient, 
useful in dyspepsia ; recommended in infusion as 
an external application to the eye " Assistant Surgeon 
Nehal Sing, Shaharanpur). '' Chiefly used as a con- 
diment and considered to be stomachic" {.Assistant 
Surgeon Anund Chunder Jfookerji, KoakhaUi/). •' Anti- 
malarious to a certain extent'" (H. I). 2lasini Sur- 
geon H. M. 's 30lh N. I., Bomhag Karachi). " Carmi- 
native, cooliug medicine. The decoction with opium 
and friend asafoetida seeds is used in cholera. In the 
form of gargle it is useful in stomatitis and sore- 
throat. It is an ingredient in what is called masala, 
in the Decan, Guzerafc, and Cutch" (W Barren Sur- 
geon H. M S. 25th N. L. I., Bomhay Bhuj Cutch). "The 
capsule is innocuous ; the seeds, as well known are 
powerfully irritant " ( R. T. H. Morarj. Chillies are 
applied by natives to dog-bites. An infusion made 
with 4 drams of chillies and a bottle of boiling water 
has been found useful in severe sore-throat " (Assistant 
Surgeon Bhagwan Dass, Rawal Pindi), "In delirium 
tremens in 20-grain doses " (Surgeon- Major George Cum- 
berland Ross, Delhi). "Is used in liniments as a rube- 
facient ; iu cholera pills with camphor and assafoetida; 
as an application to elongated uvula and relaxed 
throat it is very useful" (A. Surgeon). "Active 
principle, an acrid oil-capsaicin. In dyspepsia, a good 
pill is made with equal parts of capsicum, rhubarb 
and ginger " C. M. Russel Civit Surgeon Sirun Bengal 
" Internally it has a stimulant action on the bowels 
and helps to relieve constipation " (Surgeon-Maior 
A. S. G. I'ayakar Mushat. 
Food.— The fruit when green is used for picklini? 
and when ripe is mixed with tomatos, Ac, to make 
sauces. It is also dried and ground for use like 
Cayenne pepper {Treasury of Botany.) 
The consumption of chillies is very great, and both 
rich and poor daily use them ; they form the princi- 
pal ingredient in all chutnies and curries; ground 
into a paste, between two stones, with a little mus- 
tard oil, ginger, and salt, they form the only sea- 
soning which the millions of poor can obtain to eat 
with their rice (Balfour's Cyclop. ) Dr. Dymock gives 
