2. The bark has astringent, antiperiodic, and alterative properties, and may be used as an infusion in the same way as the leaves.
3. The oil, I think, is the most active medicinal part of the plant. Externally, it has stimulant, antiseptic, and alterative properties and is very useful in chronic syphilitic sores and indolent ulcers, which show no tendency to heal. If the effect of the pure oil be found too stimulating, it should be diluted with equal parts of some bland oil or even a weaker strength may be necessary.
The oil is also extremely useful as a parasiticide in various cutaneous affections, such as ringworm, scabies, and others, where the presence of any kind of parasite may be suspected. It rapidly destroys the parasite and induces a healthy action. When the parasite is in the deeper layers of the skin, it will be necessary to rub the oil well in for perhaps 10 minutes or more at a time. I have used this oil in mange in dogs and found it useful.
Internally, the oil in 5-10 minim doses, once or twice a day, is useful in chronic malarial fevers, in syphilis, leprosy and other diseases where an alterative action is indicated. I have used it internally for the last 12 years, chiefly in chronic malarial fevers, and have no hesitation in saying that it is a drug of undoubted value in these fevers. Vide my "Record of Indian Fevers," 1899, published, by Messrs. Thacker, Spink & Co.
In the Indian Forester for June 1913, pp. 264-265, Mr. T. P. Ghose, B. Sc, Assistant to Forest Chemist, Dehra Dun, writes : —
NEEM TODDY.
In the December issue of the Indian Forester, Mr. Allen brought to the notice of its readers the fact that leprous persons eagerly take the exudation of Neem as a remedy against the hateful malady. This belief is of very old standing, and has in fact originated from the old medical literature of the Hindus. There can be no doubt about the fact that the leaves and bark, and *also the oil out of the seeds, have specific medicinal properties. Dr. Watt in his Dictionary of Economic Products has collected opinions of various medical men, both Europen and Indian, about the medicinal properties of the different parts of this tree. From all these it can easily be gathered that the bark is a good febrifuge, and is especially useful in periodic fever, also in thirst and nausea. The leaves as well as the oil are very useful in skin diseases. They are also a germicide and an antiseptic. Since so many parts of this tree are medicinal, specially when some of them have specific action on the skin, it is but natural that people should ascribe some valuable medicinal properties to its spontaneous exudation. It is not every day that the Neem begins spontaneously to exude the toddy, and therefore the rarity of the occurrence adds a good deal to the importance of this product in popular estimation.
A sample of toddy received from Rai Bahadur Har Swarup, Conservator of Forests, Gwalior State, was chemically examined to find out its constituents and to ascertain whether there is any active principle that might produce the effects popularly ascribed to it. The toddy was a milk-like whitish emulsion
