ON THE MORINGA PTERVGOSPERMA. 
41 
ART. VI.-ON THE MORINGA PTERYGOSPERMA, OR OIL OF 
BEN TREE, AND ITS USES ECONOMICAL AND OFFICINAL. 
By William Hamilton, M. B. 
The Moringa pterygosperma, or horseradish tree, al- 
though not a native of the West Indies, is now perfectly- 
naturalized there, and merits attention both for its econo- 
mical and pharmaceutical properties. 
It is a small tree, of about twenty feet in height, but of 
most rapid growth, coming into flower within a few months 
after the seed has been sown, and continuing to produce 
seeds and blossoms afterwards throughout the year. Its 
roots have all the flavour and properties of the horseradish, 
for which it is often substituted at the tables of the planters. 
The timber is said to dye a fine blue ; and the gum which 
exudes from wounds in the bark bears a strong resemblance 
to that obtained from the Astragalus tragacantha, for which 
it might, no doubt, be substituted. The timber was for- 
merly held in estimation for medicinal properties, which it 
was reputed to possess, and may be found spoken of in 
some of the older medical writers under the name of Lig- 
num nephriticum, from its supposed efficacy in complaints 
of the kidneys and urinary organs. It gives out a blue 
colour to spirit or water, which by transmitted light appears 
of a golden yellow ; the blue is destroyed by acids, which 
leave the tincture or decoction of a bright yellow, but is 
restored by the addition of an alkali. 
The numerous racemes of white blossoms with which the 
moringa or horseradish tree is constantly loaded, are suc- 
ceeded by long triangular pods, somewhat torulose at the 
seeds, and about two feet in length, when arrived at their 
full growth. These pods, while yet young and tender, are 
not unfrequently cooked and served up to the planters' 
tables like asparagus, for which they are no bad substitute. 
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