526 
Lukrabo  or  Ta-Fuag-Tsze. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(.        Oct.,  1884. 
leprosy.  In  the  northern  province  of  Hnpeh  the  seeds  are  in  great 
repute  as  a  remedy  for  parasitic  pedicnli  and  the  itch  insect.  In  Sou- 
beiran's  "MatiSre  Medieale  chez  les  Chinois"  (p.  221),  the  seeds  are 
erroneously  referred  to  Gynocardla  odorata. 
In  the  Kew  Report  (1878,  p.  33)  the  seeds,  under  the  name  of  Dai- 
phong-tu,  are  said  to  be  used  in  Saigon  as  a  vermifuge  after  the  extrac- 
tion of  the  oil.  It  is  added  that  M.  Pierre  has  successfully  raised 
some  seeds  of  the  plant,  and  refers  it  to  the  geuus  Hydnocarpus.  The 
species,  however,  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Kew  Report  and  no  further 
information  has  appeared  in  it  upon  this  point  in  subsequent  years. 
Having  had  a  specimen  of  the  Lukrabo  seed  in  the  museum  of  the 
Pharmaceutical  Society  for  some  years — without  a  specific  name — I 
recently  wrote  to  M.  Pierre  for  information  as  to  the  species  yielding 
the  seed.  In  response  he  lias  kindly  forwarded  for  the  herbarium  of 
this  Society  a  specimen  of  the  plant  with  flowers  and  seeds,  and  the 
following  interesting  statement :  "  It  is  a  new  species  which  I  have 
named  Hydnocarpus  anthelminthica,  Pierre.  It  is  very  nearly  allied 
to  H.  alpina,  Wight,  p.  940,  but  its  leaves  are  more  linear-oblong. 
The  scales  opposite  to  the  petals  are  less  long  and  more  ciliated,  the 
stigma  is  furrowed  in  its  whole  extent,  and  is  only  toothed  towards  the 
extremity  of  its  reflexed  margin,  while  in  H.  alpina  it  is  furnished 
with  large  lobes.  The  male  flower  contains  a  rudimentary  ovary;  in 
the  female  flower  this  is  pyramidal.  The  seeds  are  used  as  a  vermi- 
fuge by  the  Annamites.  The  names  given  in  Annam  to  the  plant  are 
Dai-phong-tu  and  Thaoc-pku-tu.  The  specimen  sent  was  gathered  in 
the  province  of  Bien  Hoa  in  Southern  Cochin  China."  A  figure  of 
the  tree  will,  I  presume,  be  given  in  the  magnificent  "  Forest  Flora  of 
Cochin  China,"  now  being  published  by  M.  L.  Pierre  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  French  Government. 
The  botanical  source  of  this  important  eastern  drug  is  thus  at  last 
satisfactorily  cleared  up. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  July  16,  1884,  p. 
41. 
Resorctx  for  the  Relief  of  Paix. — Andeer  finds  that  although 
resorcin  has  no  benumbing  effect  upon  the  normal  human  skin,  yet  it  has 
very  decided  analgesic  properties  in  painful  affections  of  the  skin  or  mucous 
membranes.  He  also  gives  it  internally  in  colic,  cardialgia,  and  painful 
affections  of  the  larynx,  in  increasing  doses  of  one  to  ten  gm.  and  also  in 
the  form  of  clysters  (thirty  per  cent,  solution),  with  satisfactory  result. — 
Phila.  Med.  Times,  Aug.  9. 
