Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Sept.,  1893. 
Reviews. 
463 
medians  as  aperient,  deobstruent,  depurative,  anthelmintic  and  tonic,  as  a  col- 
lyrium  for  strengthening  the  sight  and  removing  styes  on.  the  eye-lids,  further- 
more for  the  dispersion  of  swellings  and  the  promotion  of  granulations  ;  Areca 
catechu,  betel  nut,  the  unripe  nuts  are  described  by  Hindu  writers  as  laxative 
and  carminative,  the  fresh  nuts  as  intoxicating  and  productive  of  giddiness 
and  when  dried  are  said  to  sweeten  the  breath,  strengthen  the  gums,  remove 
bad  tastes  from  the  mouth,  and  produce  a  stimulant  and  exhilarating  effect  on 
the  system  ;  early  Arabian  writers  describe  it  as  good  for  hot  and  gross  humors, 
prepared  as  a  liniment,  for  inflammation  of  the  eyes,  as  a  collyrium,  and  of 
great  efficacy  for  drying  up  the  seminal  fluid  and  as  a  digestive  ;  Calamus 
Draco,  the  resin  from  this  plant  did  not  constitute  the  original  dragon's  blood, 
this  being  exported,  according  to  early  writers  on  eastern  commerce,  from 
Arabia  and  Socotra.  Acorus  Calamus  is  described  by  Mohammedan  writers  as 
•deobstruent  and  depurative,  useful  for  the  expulsion  of  phlegmatic  humors, 
which  they  suppose  to  be  the  cause  of  paralysis,  dropsy,  and  many  diseases, 
they  also  prescribe  it  internally  in  calculous  affections.  It  has  a  reputation  as  a 
diuretic,  emmenagogue  and  aphrodisiac,  and  is  used  as  a  poultice  to  paralyzed 
limbs  and  rheumatic  swellings  ;  a  pessary  of  calamus,  saffron  and  mare's  milk 
is  used  to  promote  delivery.  In  Ceylon  the  rhizome  is  also  used  as  an 
anthelmintic. 
What  we  would  further  say  about  this  interesting  work  would  be  a  repetition 
of  the  reviews  of  former  parts  of  this  same  work  and  we  therefore  simply  refer 
to  them. 
Charaka-Samhita,  translated  into  English.  Published  by  Avinash  Chandra 
Kaviratna,  practitioner  of  the  Hindu  System  of  Medicine,  etc.,  Calcutta. 
We  noticed  the  first  four  fascicles  of  this  treatise  on  pages  286  of  our  last 
volume  and  107  of  the  present  one,  to  which  we  would  like  to  refer.  We  have 
now  before  us  fascicles  5  and  6  treating  in  five  lessons  of  wind  (gases)  of  oils  and 
their  uses  and  administration,  of  Sweda  (often  used  to  signify  the  application 
of  heat  or  fomentations  even  when  the  end  sought  is  not  diaphoresis  ;  it  includes 
also  warm  water  baths,  vapor  baths  and  hot  cataplasms  of  medicinal  plants),  of 
articles  which  should  be  at  hand  where  untoward  effects  of  emetics  and  pur- 
gatives show  themselves  ;  of  the  skillful  physician,  and  of  some  diseases  of  the 
head. 
Contribution  a  V etude  histologique  des  Zingiber  acees. — These  pour  l'obten- 
tion  du  Diplome  de  Pharmacien  de  ire  Classe  presentee  et  soutenue  par  Gilbert 
Joseph  Barthelot.    Lons-le-Saunier,  Lucien  Declume,  1893. 
Contribution  to  the  histological  study  of  the  Zingiberaceae,  Thesis  to  obtain 
the  diploma  of  pharmacist  of  the  first  class,  presented  and  sustained  by  Gilbert 
Joseph  Barthelot.    Lons-le-Saunier,  Lucien  Declume,  1893. 
The  author  from  his  work  draws  the  following  conclusions  :  There  exists  a 
great  analogy  in  structure  between  the  plants  of  this  natural  order.  The 
sclerotic  arc  encircling  the  vascular  bundles  is  constant  in  all  organs  except  in 
the  rhizome  where  it  is  occasionally  wanting.  The  rhizomes  with  few  excep- 
tions contain  large  quantities  of  starch.  The  cells  secreting  essential  oil  vary 
considerably  in  number,  aie  always  distributed  singly  in  the  parenchyme  tissue, 
the  cell  walls  not  containing  suberine  as  has  been  stated  by  several  authors. 
In  all  organs  tannin  bearing  cells  are  found  varying  in  number  and  shape.  The 
