N. 0. DIPTERROOARPEAE. 
157 
A lofty evergreen tree. Young branches compressed. Wood 
rough, soft to moderately hard ; sap wood white, heartwood 
red-brown, but not durable. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 
entire or sinuate-crenate, acute, base rounded ; 5-12 by 2£-7in ; 
glabrous on both surfaces or slightly pubescent, especially on 
the nerves and margins ; lateral nerves 14-18 pair. Petiole 
l£-3in. ; stipules with dense stellate canescene, pubescent to- 
wards the apex, varies greatly in regard to the pubescence of 
young shoots, leaves and inflorescence. Racemes 3-5-flowered. 
Flowers 3in. diam ; Calyx-tube obconie, hairy, subspheroidal, 
mouth contracted, unenlarged lobes deltoid-ovate. Petals pinkish 
white. Nut pubescent. 
Habitat . — Eastern Bengal and Eastern Peninsula, from 
Chittagong and Pegu to Singapur ; not in Ceylon, nor in the 
Konkan. 
Use : — The oleo-resin is applied externally to ulcers, ring- 
worm, and other cutaneous affections (Watt.) It is stimulant 
of mucous surfaces, particularly that of the genito-urinary 
system ; and also diuretic. In gonorrhoea and other affections 
in which copaiba is generally Employed, it has proved an 
effectual remedy (Ph. Ind., p. 32). Quite recently it has been 
brought prominently to notice by Dr. Dougall, of the Andamans, 
as a remedy for leprosy ; but, as far as I have heard, the new 
remedy is not likely to prove successful (Dymock). 
The best medical properties of this oil are its usefulness 
in gonorrhoea and gleet, and in all forms of psoriasis, including 
lepra vulgaris. In gonorrhoea and gleet, it is at least equal 
to Copaiba, and the only difference between these two drugs 
is that the former (Gurjun balsam) requires to be used in 
a much larger dose (3ii to 3iii) to produce the same effect 
as the latter. As Gurjun balsam is always used in the form 
of emulsion with mucilage* the largeness of its dose is no 
disadvantage. With regard to its usefulness in psoriasis and 
lepra vulgaris, I am not aware of any other local stimulant 
which is more efficacious in those diseases than this drug. I 
have either cured or relieved many cases of the above affections 
by the use of this drug, with little or no assistance of internal 
