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INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.


cases of piles I treated with fumigation, one suffered from a swelling on the face, chest and abdomen with an erysipelatous blush ; while the other was quite free from all these symptoms. Both, however, were much benefited by the remedy in one siting Although T have not seen any case of bad effects from internal use of the marking-nut, yet there is no doubt that it is an irritant poison in a large quantity or overdose " (Moodeen Sheriff).

" Marking-nut is one of the few drugs which T have found more or less useful in all the diseases for which it is recommended in Native and other medical works. These works, however, speak of the usefulness of the drug in rheumatism in a very casual manner and only as a local application ; but, according to my own experience, it is, as an internal remedy, so useful in the acute form of that disease that it deserves a special attention. Used in full and repeated medicinal doses, the relief it affords is very great and satisfactory, and I do not hesitate in calling it a sovereign remedy in acute rheumatism. It is certainly more sure and speedy in its action than salicylic acid, salicylate of soda, colchicum, &c, and therefore the best drug for the above complaint. The more recent and acute the disease is, the more speedy and successful this medicine proves. Many of the patients suffering from acute rheumatism who were brought to me in doolies or other vehicles, and who were quite unable to sit or move without assistance, were able from the use of the electuary or the acrid oil of this drug to return to me walking on the 6th or 7th day after their first visit. On a few occasions, again, I was pleasantly surprised to see them walking lamely and coming to me on the very next or 3rd morning to say they were much better. In the latter case the patients were all youths or very young men.

" With regard to the preparations of the marking-nut I have described (electuary and acrid oil), there is no difference between the therapeutic uses of them, particularly in the treatment of acute rheumatism; but the patients generally prefer the former on account of its very pleasant taste. The number of the doses of these preparations I have generally used in the 24 hours is 4, and the dose of both is the same, viz., from