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ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
The Mishme Teeta has been experimented upon by the 
late W. Twining, Esq., of the Bengal Service. The follow- 
ing is the report he gives of it : — " The powder of this root 
is of an intensely bitter taste, which is accompanied with a 
slight degree of a peculiar aroma. The sensation produced 
in the mouth subsides but slowly, and is more pleasant than 
any simple bitter. Judging from the taste, it does not possess 
much astringency ; and this opinion is confirmed, by finding 
that neither the tincture nor the infusion is much afiected by 
the solution of sulphate of iron. Four hundred and eighty 
grains of the root, when coarsely powdered and macerated in 
proof spirit for five days, were found to have lost one hundred 
and eighty grains. The residue of the above tincture, when 
dried, amounting to three hundred grains, was macerated for 
thirty hours in distilled water, and only twenty-six grains 
were found soluble in water ; as the residuum when dried 
weighed one hundred and ninety-four grains. The macera- 
tion in water was not continued longer than thirty hours, 
because fermentation had commenced, the weather being very 
hot at the latter end of May. 
" If we may be allowed to pronounce an opinion after trying 
the effects of the powder and of the tincture in seventeen 
persons, this medicine is highly deserving of attention. The 
persons on whom the trials were made, were chiefly patients 
who were suffering from degrees of debility, after the subsi- 
dence of acute chronic diseases, and one was a patient who was 
of a scrofulous habit, and reduced to the lowest stage of 
debility, by external suppuration of great extent. The effects 
of this medicine as a bitter, and its influence in restoring 
appetite and increasing the digestive powers, are very remark- 
able, and it may be said to possess all the properties of our 
best bitter tonics. It has seldom appeared to have the effect 
of constipating the bowels; but in this, and many other respects, 
I consider further trials necessary to ascertain fully the medi- 
cinal properties of this drug." 
Pucha Pat. This name is given to a drug which Dr. 
