297. This small plant, with its yellow flowers and sharp-spined seed vessel, exhaling when bruised the odour of musk, is common on dry sandy localities, especially on the seaboard of most parts of Southern India. The fresh leaves and stems briskly agitated in cold water convert it into a thick mucilage, nearly of the consistency of the white of a raw egg, inodorous and tasteless. An infusion thus prepared is a highly prized remedy among the people of Southern India in _Gonorrhœa_. For this purpose half a pint of the above infusion is taken every morning for ten days successively; and under its use great relief to the scalding on the passage of urine is afforded, and a cure in many cases effected. It seems well worthy of further trial. One of its effects, indeed its principal one, is greatly to increase the flow of urine; hence it might prove useful in some forms of _Dropsy_. Water rendered mucilaginous by this plant soon regains its original fluidity; hence the infusion should be freshly prepared each time it is to be administered. 298. +Pepper, Black.+ The unripe fruit of Piper nigrum, _Linn._ Kálí-mirch, Gól-mirch (_Hind._, _Punj._), Kálí-mirchí (_Duk._), Kálá-morich, Gól-morich (_Beng._, _Punj._), Martz (_Kash._), Milagu, Mulagu (_Tam._), Miriyálu (_Tel._), Kuru-mulaka (_Mal._), Menasu (_Can._), Miré (_Mah._), Kálo-mirich, Miri (_Guz._), Kalu-miris (_Cing._), Náyu-kon (_Burm._), Lada hitam (_Malay_). Black pepper, when fresh and of good quality, is a useful stimulant and stomachic in doses of from 10 to 15 grains or more. 299. _In Cholera_ the following pills were formerly held in high repute in Bengal. Take of Black Pepper, Asafœtida, and Opium, each 20 grains; beat them well together, and divide into 12 pills; of these one was the dose, repeated in an hour if required. On account of the quantity of Opium they contain, it is inadvisable to continue their use too long (_See_ Par. 285). They are chiefly indicated at the very outset of the attack. 300. _For Piles in aged and debilitated persons_ the following Confection is often of great service: Take of Black Pepper in fine powder, 1 ounce; Caraway fruit in fine powder, 1½ ounce; Honey, 7½ ounces. Rub them well together in a mortar, and give from one to two drachms twice or thrice daily. It proves useful also in the case of old and weak people suffering from _Descent of the Rectum_. An infusion of Black Pepper (2 drachms of bruised Pepper to 1 pint of Boiling Water) forms a useful stimulant gargle in _Relaxed Sore Throat, and Hoarseness_ dependent thereon. 301. +Physic Nut Plant.+ Jatropha Curcas, _Linn._ Jangle-arandí (_Hind._, _Guz._), Jangli-yarandi (_Duk._), Erandá-gách, Bon-bhérandá (_Beng._), Kátt-áma-naku (_Tam._), Pépalam (_Tel._), Káttá-vanaka (_Mal._), Bettada-haralu (_Can._), Rána-yerandi (_Mah._), Val-endaru, Erandu (_Cing._), Késu-gi, Simbo-késu (_Burm._).