192 
Original Communications. 
ner, under the name of Amona myristica. Long, (Hist. Jam.) 
says the seeds are impregnated with an aromatic oil, resem- 
bling that of the eastern nutmeg, from which they differ so 
little in flavour and quality, that they maybe used for similar 
purposes in food and medicine ; the only perceptible differ- 
ence to the taste being that they are less pungent than the 
East Indian fruit. 
Myrobalans. In the various changes and revolutions which 
have occurred in the science of medicine, many remedial 
articles formerly in the highest repute, and considered almost 
indispensable in the treatment of disease, have fallen into dis- 
repute, or have been supplanted by others, perhaps of not as 
real efficacy. No drugs were in more general use, at on'e pe- 
riod, than the various kinds of Myrobalans. These are the 
unripe fruits of several species of Terminalia (Myrobalanus, 
Gvertiver,) all natives of various parts of Asia. They were 
formerly employed as purgatives, and entered into most of 
the numerous theriacs and diascordiums then so universally 
employed as panaceas in almost every disease. They have 
now fallen into complete disuse, and even their name is scarcely 
remembered. It would appear, however, that in the East 
they still retain some of their former reputation, and are suc- 
cessfully employed in diseases of the bowels. 
We sometime since received some specimens of a drug from 
Syria, which on examination and comparison with the figures 
of the Myrobalans, given by Clusius and Gartner, proved 
to be Myrobalani chebula and Indicce, or fruit of the Terminalia 
chebula. They are of a black colour, of an ovoid or irregu- 
larly oblong form, about the size of a small olive, and longi- 
tudinally straited. Their fracture is resinous, compact, of a 
brown black colour, and seldom presenting more than the 
rudiments of a nut. Their taste is bitter and very astringent, 
resembling that of the unripe persimmon. 
Their Arabic name is Hindy Sheirif. A tea spoon of the 
powder is given at a dose, to be administered when the patient 
is perfectly free from fever; he is to abstain from solid food 
for a few days ; if the case be obstinate, a second dose always 
proves successful. It is also employed in powder or decoc- 
tion for sore mouth. R. E. G. 
