is poured off and a second is added. A very excellent preserve is imported from Curacoa, made from the unripe pods, preserved in sugar, with the addition of spices. (Curtis' Botanical Magazine for February 1st, 1851).
Use : — The ripe fruit is regarded as refrigerant, digestive, carminative and laxative, and useful in diseases supposed to be caused by deranged bile, such as burning of the body, costiveness, intoxication from spirituous liquors or dhatura, &c. The shells of the ripe fruit are burnt and their ashes used in medicine as an alkaline substance, along with other medicines of the sort. The pulp of the ripe fruit, as well as a poultice of the leaves, is recommended to be applied to inflammatory swellings (Butt's Hindu Materia Medica). Mahomedan physicians consider the pulp to be cardiacal, astringent and aperient, useful for checking bilious vomiting, and for purging the system of bile and adust humors ; when used as an aperient, it should be given with a very small quantity of fluid. A gargle of Tamarind water is recommended in sore- throat. The seeds are said to be a good astringent ; boiled, they are used as a poultice to boils ; pounded with water they are applied to the crown of the head in cough and relaxation of the uvula. The leaves crushed with water and expressed yield an acid fluid, which is said to be useful in bilious fever and scalding of the urine ; made into a poultice, they are applied to reduce inflammatory swellings, and to relieve pain. A poultice of the flowers is used in inflammatory affections of the conjunctiva ; their juice is given internally for bleeding piles. The bark is considered to have astringent and tonic properties (DYMOCK).
Analysis was made of the entire seeds, and also of the kernel without the brown covering. They had the following composition : —
| Seeds | Kernels. | |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 10.50 | 09.35 |
| Albuminoids | 13.87 | 18.06 |
| Fat | 04.50 | 06.60 |
| Carbohydrates | 63.22 | 62.88 |
| Fibre | 05.36 | 00.66 |
| Ash | 02.55 | 02.45 |
| Total | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| Nitrogen | 2.22 | 2.89 |
| Phosphoric anhydride | 0.40 | 0.55 |
