Am  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1SS9. 
Drugs  of  the  Cairo  Bazaars. 
189 
The  pods  of  Acacia,  arabica,  of  which  I  obtained  a  small  specimen, 
contain  a  quantity  of  astringent  matter,  and  are  used  for  dyeing,  strik- 
ing a  black  color  with  iron. 
Henna,  the  powdered  leaves  of  a  species  of  Lawsonia,  is  also  largely 
exposed  for  sale,  and  the  stained  finger-nails  of  many  of  the  women 
and  children  give  evidence  of  its  use. 
The  fruits  of  Zygophyllum  coccineum,  which  have  an  aromatic  odor 
and  a  bitterish  acrid  taste,  are  used,  I  was  informed,  as  a  remedy  for 
ophthalmia,  which,  in  various  forms,  is  very  prevalent  among  the  na- 
tives. They  are  said  to  have  been  used  by  the  old  Arabian  physicians, 
and  Mr.  Holmes  finds  that  the  leaves  of  Zygophyllum  simplex,  which 
has  much  smaller  fruits,  are  also  used  by  the  Arabs  in  eye  diseases. 
I  also  show  some  large  pods  of  Albizzia  Lebbek.  This  is  commonly 
known  as  an  acacia,  and  is  much  cultivated  about  Cairo  and  Ismailia. 
If  its  roots  have  access  to  any  moisture  from  irrigated  soil,  it  grows 
to  the  height  of  40  or  50  feet.  It  thrives  in  a  climate  where  no  rain 
falls,  and  where  few  other  trees,  except  palms,  grow  to  any  height. 
There  is  an  avenue  of  these  trees  all  the  way  from  Cairo  to  the  Pyra- 
mids of  Ghizeh,  a  distance  of  about  8  miles.  This  tree  is  said  by 
Martius  to  yield  a  gum  allied  to  gum  Senegal,  but  I  did  not  see  such 
an  exudation  on  any  of  the  trees  I  examined. 
The  seeds  of  Arachis  hypogcea,  known  as  Pistache  de  terre,  ground 
nuts,  beans  of  Soudan  (Soudani  "  foule  "),  are  hawked  about  most  of 
the  streets  of  Cairo,  and  are  considered  to  possess  aphrodisiac  proper- 
ties. 
Signor  Bossi  informed  me  that  little  or  no  senna  now  passes  through 
Cairo.  It  finds  its  way  into  European  commerce  principally  through 
Tripoli,  and  the  same  remark  applies  itself  to  gum  arabic,  which  finds 
its  way  principally  from  the  Red  Sea  ports  to  Trieste. 
In  conclusion,  I  may  mention  that  there  appear  to  be  no  restrictions 
on  the  practice  of  pharmacy  in  Egypt.  There  is  no  pharmacist  hold- 
ing the  English  qualification  in  business  in  Cairo,  but  there  are  phar- 
macies in  the  hands  of  French,  Germans,  Greeks  and  Syrians,  at  most 
of  which  English  is  spoken. 
10,  New  Cavendish  Street,  W. 
Rhus  aromatica  has  been  found  useful  in  incontinence  of  urine  in 
children  as  well  as  in  old  people.  Dr.  Max  employed  the  tincture  of  the 
bark,  of  which  he  gave  from  20  to  50  drops  daily. — L1  Union  Med. 
