The indigenous drugs of India, or, Short descriptive notices of the principal medicines, both vegetable and mineral, in common use among the natives of India / by Kanny Loll Dey.

  • Dey, Kanny Lall.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The indigenous drugs of India, or, Short descriptive notices of the principal medicines, both vegetable and mineral, in common use among the natives of India / by Kanny Loll Dey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    29/154 (page 9)
    AGAVE AMERICANA. Rukus. The roots of the plant Agave Americana, of the natural order Araaryllidacese. This plant has been long- imported from America and naturalized in India. Its leaves yield fibres almost equal to the best Russian hemp, and manufactured at a very slight expense. From its root also is obtained a ligneous fibre much used in Madras. This is the common American aloe plant. The roots are used to adul- terate sarsaparilla. Medicinal properties.—Diuretic. The roots of this plant are employed as a diuretic, and are said to possess the anti-syphilitic virtue of sarsaparilla; but whether they really do so is doubtful. Price, 2 annas per lb. ALEURITES TRILOBA. JuXGLEE AkHBOTE. The nuts of the plant Aleurites Triloba, or the Jug- Ians Camirmm, of the natural order Euphorbiacese. It is a native of the Moluccas, Malay Island, and Assam. It is also cultivated in Lower Bengal. The kernels are much relished in this country; they have the taste of English walnuts; they yield by expression a large proportion of a very agreeable oil, which is supposed to be a good substitute for rape oil. A gummy substance exudes from the seeds, which the natives of Tahiti are very fond of chewing. Medicinal properties.—The kernels are supposed to possess aphrodisiac properties, probably from their containing a large quantity of oleaginous substance, which gives a genera] tone to the system. A mil,I aperient action has also been ascribed to its oil. Dr. b