8 
841 
FOOD. 
Leaves. 
842 
Seeds. 
843 
OIL. 
Bland. 
844 
Essential. 
845 
MEDICINE. 
846 
Chemical 
Composition. 
847 
4 
Brassica nigra, Koch; FI. Br. Tnd. t I., 156. 
The Black or True Mustard, Eng.; Moutarde Noire, 
Fr.; MUSTERT, SEUFSAMEN, Ger.; SENAPA, It.; 
Mostarda, For. 
gy^l.—SlNAPIS ERYS 1 MOIDES, Roxb.; StNAPIS NlGRA, Linn. 
Yeril. — Rai, kali rdit ird, tdrd mira, lahi, bandrasi rdi, jag rdi, asl-rai , 
ghorrdi, rnakra-rdi, &t„, HlND.; Rdi sarishd, BENG.; Rai, kali rdi, 
Guj.; Rdi, sarsan, Bomb.; Kadagho, Tam ; Avalo, I EL.; Bile sasive, 
kari-sasivc, sasive, Kan ; Rdjikd (?), sarshap, Sans., Sdrshaf (the 
name by which it is known in Indian hospitals), Peks.; Khirdal or 
kharddl, Arab.; Ganaba, SlNGH.; Kiditsai, CHINESE, 
§ “ Madras vernacular names are the same as those given in page 523 under var. 
1 —dichotoma, sp. Roxb." (Moodten Sheriff.) 
Habitat.—Cultivated in various parts of India and Thibet, chiefly on the hills. 
It is found wild over the whole of Europe, excepting in the extreme north, 
Botanic Diagnosis.—This may be distinguished from B. alba by its stem- 
clasping or adpressed and nearly glabrous short pods. 
History.—Mustard was'well known to the ancients. It is' mentioned by Theo- 
phratus, Dioscorides, Pliny; and it has been cultivated as an article of food in 
Europe since tjie thirteenth century. Its essential oil was first noticed in 1660. 
Food,—The leaves are all petioled, the lower lyrate and the upper entire, They 
are used for culinary purposes. 
The seeds are about 'to of an inch oblong, and dark coloured, with a 
reticulated surface. 
True Mustard Oil.—A bland oil, expressed from the seed, is used for various 
economic purposes. About 23 per cent, is usually expressed. The oil is inodorous, 
non-drying, and solidifies at o° F. It consists essentially of glycerides, of stearic, 
oleic, eruc : c, and brassic acids, the last being homologous with oleic acid. An essen¬ 
tial oil is obtained through the action of water. (See Chemical Composition.) 
Medicine—The seeds of this plant are used in medicine as poultice, being a 
useful and simple rubefacient and vesicant. Mustard poultices prove highly servicea¬ 
ble in cases of febrile and inflammatory diseases, internal congestions, spasmodic, 
neuralgic, and rheumatic affections. Mustard flour in water is highly recommended 
as a speedy and safe emetic. The bland oil is largely prescribed by native doctors. 
The seeds or flour act as a digestive condiment if taken moderately. If swallowed 
whole they operate as a laxative, and for this purpose are sometimes prescribed in 
dyspepsia and other complaints attended with torpid bowels. 
Chemical Composition.—" Both black and white mustard seed contain a fixed 
non-drying oil which is obtained by expression, the amount varying from 25 to 35 pur 
cent,; this forms the mustard oil of commerce. Mustard oil contains erucic, stearic, 
oleic, and sinapoleic acids. White mustard-seed oil, in addition to these acids, con¬ 
tains tcnic acid. ( Fluckiger). On distillation black mustard yields a volatile oil, 
the essential oil of mustard. This volatile oil does not exist ready formed in the seeds, 
but is a product of the action of the myrosin ormyronate of potash, now called sini- 
grin. While the seeds are dry these bodies do not come in contact, but directly water 
is added, the myrosin decomposes the sinigrin into sulphocyanid of allyl, essential oil 
of mustard, sugar, and a potash salt of sulphuric acid. It is to the essential oil of 
mustard that the pungent smeland taste of mustard is due. Applied to the skin it 
causes almost instant vesication. Myrosin is an albuminous principle, and at a tem¬ 
perature of 140 Fahr. coagulates, and then ceases to have the power of decomposing 
sinigrin. When, therefore, the pungency of mustard is required, boiling water should 
never be employed in the preparation. White mustard seeds do not yield this volatile 
oil on distillation with water. The seeds contain, in addition to myrosin, a crystalline 
principle of sulphosinapisin—sinalbin. In the presence of water and myrosin this body 
splits up into sulphocyanate of acrinyi, sulphate of sinapine, and glucose. The ves¬ 
icating J^opertics of white mustard are due to the first mentioned of these bodies. 
(Surgeon C. jf. H. Warden, Prof, of Chemistry, Calcutta.) 
Special Opinions- —§ “The pure fresh oil is a stimulant and mild counter-irri¬ 
tant when applied externally. As such it is very useful in mild attacks of sore throat, 
internal congestion, and chronic muscular rheumatism, fhe oil is also used as an 
article of diet and is rubbed on the skin before bathing. 1 (Surgeon D. Basil, Farid - 
pore.) “"Mustard oil with camphor may be rubbed in rheumatism with advantage. 
Mustard poultices should be removed when the skin is reddened, otherwise trouble¬ 
some vesication is caused, intractable ulcers resulting.’ “ I he small black variety call¬ 
ed, benarasy rai is as good a rubefacient as English mustard. ’ (Bolly Chund Sen, 
Teacher of Medicine ) “ In common oil-mills in jails a maund of good seed yields 13 
seers of oil. The oil rubbed on the feet and the bridge of the nose cuts short a head- 
cold in one night. I have never seen it fail. In slight bronchitic affections of chil¬ 
dren it makes a very useful mild counter-irritant application to the chest. It is also 
a very useful application in ordinary sore throat." (Surgeon K. D. Ghose, Khoolna.) 
“ The oil rubbed over the chest in children has a great effect in relieving bronchial 
irritation. In influenza the oil rubbed on the feet after a foot-bath gives immediate 
relief. A little rubbed on the nose stops the running within a few hours." (Surgeon 
K. D. Ghose, Bankura.) “Mustard oil is very ustful as a liniment to the chest in 
cases of bronchitis.” (Hony. Surgeon /', Kinsley, Ganjam , Madras.) 
