Remarks on the Uses of some of the Bazaar Medicines and Common Medical Plants of India: With a full index of diseases, indicating their treatment by these and other agents procurable throughout India; to which are added directions for treatment in cases of drowning, snake-bites &c.Waring, Edward John
Science
Remarks on the Uses of some of the Bazaar Medicines and Common Medical Plants of India: With a full index of diseases, indicating their treatment by these and other agents procurable throughout India; to which are added directions for treatment in cases of drowning, snake-bites &c.
Waring, Edward John
Botany, Medical -- India; Materia medica, Vegetable -- India; Medicinal plants -- India; Traditional medicine -- India
255. Chebulic Myrobalans, met with in all the bazaars of India, are of
an ovoid shape, about an inch in length, sometimes tapering towards the
lower extremity, round or obscurely five- or six-sided, more or less
furrowed longitudinally, smooth, of a yellowish brown colour, and
astringent taste.
256. Myrobalans is a safe and effective aperient, and given to natives
in the following form, has been found to act very satisfactorily: Take
of Myrobalans bruised 6, Cinnamon or Cloves bruised 1 drachm, Water or
Milk 4 ounces; boil for ten minutes, strain, and set aside till cold.
This quantity taken at a draught generally produces on an adult native
three or four copious stools without griping, vomiting, or other ill
effects. Youths from twelve to fourteen years require only half the
above quantity, or even less. For infants and young children Castor Oil
or Senna is preferable as an aperient. It is well adapted for ordinary
cases of _Constipation occurring in Natives_ and in other states where
aperients are required.
257. _Chronic Ulcerations, Ulcerated Wounds, and many Skin Diseases
attended with profuse discharge_, often manifestly improve under the use
of an ointment composed of equal parts of dried Myrobalans and Catechu,
both finely powdered, and sufficient ghee or some bland oil to make them
into a thick paste: this, spread on a rag, should be applied to the
part, and renewed twice daily.
257_a_. Mr. W. Martindale, chemist, of New Cavendish Street, London, has
forwarded to me a preparation of another kind of Myrobalans, EMBLIC
MYROBALANS, the fresh fruit of _Phyllanthus Emblica_ (_Linn._), a common
Indian tree, preserved in sugar. The pulp, which has an agreeable taste,
is stated by Mr. M. to possess purgative properties in doses of one or
two of the preserved fruit. Commenting on this preparation it is stated
in the _British Medical Journal_ (July 29, 1882, p. 173): "We have tried
it carefully in several cases of habitual constipation, and have no
doubt it is a valuable addition to our list of laxatives.... It may be
eaten at dinner or dessert, and it would be absurd to regard it as a
medicine. It is most valuable for children." It should be added that it
is only in the fresh state that it possesses aperient properties; in the
dried state, as they are commonly met with in Indian bazaars, they are
astringent, containing a large proportion of gallic acid. Their ordinary
vernacular names are Ánvulá, Ánvurah (_Hind._), Ámlá Ánlá (_Beng._),
Nelli-kay, Tóppi (_Tam._), Ámala-kamu (_Tel._), Nelli-káyi (_Can._,
_Mal._), Avalá (_Mah._), Nelli, Nellika (_Cing._), Zíphiyu-sí (_Burm._).
258. +Ním Tree or Margosa.+ Azadirachta Indica, _Iuss._
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