296 
PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING. 
Medicinal Properties and Uses. —With regard to the medicinal proper¬ 
ties of this new kind of matico, I think we may safely conclude, from its che¬ 
mical, botanical, and physical resemblances to that of true matico, that they 
must be also nearly identical, at least when administered internally, to it. Its 
local action, when applied externally to arrest haemorrhage, would be doubtless, 
to some extent, less powerful than that of true matico, as its structure would 
not act mechanically to the same extent as it; indeed, those who believe that 
true matico in such cases acts simply from its peculiar structure dividing the 
blood and thus promoting its coagulation, would attribute little, if any, value to 
this kind of matico ; but I am convinced, from my own experiments, and from 
the recorded observations of others, as well as from various communications on 
the subject that I have received from practitioners in this and other parts of the 
world, that the power which true matico possesses of arresting haemorrhage, when 
locally applied, cannot be due simply to its mechanical action. 
That this new kind of matico does possess valuable medicinal properties 
is also probable from the fact of various parts of the plant yielding it, 
namely, the Artcinthe adunca , having had, and at the present time being 
considered to have, a great reputation in various diseases in the different 
districts in which it is a native. The earliest notice that I can find of its 
medicinal properties and uses is in Sloane’s ‘ Natural History of Jamaica,’* 
where the following abstract, taken by him from Piso’s ‘ Natural History of 
Brazil,’ published at Amsterdam in 1648, occurs :—“ The fruits which are like 
Long-Pepper are of no use, the root is very famous. It has something aromatick, 
and in tast, colour, and smell, resembles ginger, especially if it be fresh, and 
then it is not inferiour to it. It is very hot and dry. A decoction of the leaves 
and roots cures the colic and pains of the limbs, eases the windy belly, and takes 
away the cold tumors of the feet. The same is done by baths and fomenta¬ 
tions.” Miquel, in his ‘ Systema Piperacearum,’ already frequently quoted, 
says that the spikes of it and other species of Artanthe are used in the same 
manner as long pepper, for flavouring, seasoning, etc., and also an account of 
their medicinal properties. Martius also refers to the use of its spikes of fruits 
as a substitute for pepper in tropical America ; and he moreover states that in 
Brazil, the leaves of Artanthe adunca have a similar reputation to, and are em¬ 
ployed in the same diseases as cubebs, and that those of Artanthe elongata (true 
matico) are used in Peru in like manner.f 
From the evidence now given, I think we can come to no other conclusion than 
—that this new matico is well worthy of a trial in this country in similar diseases 
to those in which the officinal matico has been found efficacious. The trial of its 
virtues is rendered still more necessary at present, on account of the scarcity and 
high price of true matico. This scarcity will be most probably but temporary, 
but it will certainly be rather anomalous and remarkable if, when the long and 
anxiously expected and desired stranger—the new Pharmacopoeia—at length 
sees the light of day, one of the substances therein ordered cannot be obtained, 
or a substitute be at hand for immediate use until that deficiency can be supplied. 
The President observed that as Professor Bentley had pointed out true 
Matico was scarce and dear, it was very important that any substitute which 
might be discovered should be at once brought before the notice of the Society ; 
and this was more especially necessary at the present time with matico, as 
they had also been informed that it was to be introduced into the forthcoming 
British Pharmacopoeia. He thought that it was very desirable that all new 
drugs should be introduced to their notice as soon as possible; in fact, this was one 
of the main objects of these meetings. % 
* Sloane’s Nat. Hist. Jam. vol. i. p. 135. 
t Lindley’s ‘Vegetable Kingdom/ p. 518. 
