WRIGHTIA ANTIDYSENTERICA. I?. Dr.
Nerium antidysentericuro, Linn. La.-thou, . . . BERM. Veppala, . . . . TAM. Conessi bark tree, ENG. Kodaga pala, . . . TEL. Inderjau, . . . ' HIND. Pala cbettu, . . . „ Cheeri, . . . . SANSK. KOdiSS pala, . . . „ A small tree of Malabar, Ceylon, the Isle of France, common in many parts of India, also in Tavoy. The bark was formerly in request under the name of Conessi, and is still esteemed by the natives in dysentery and bowel complaints. It appears to have lost its value in commerce, by not being distinguished from the bark of 1Vrightia tinctoria, which grows in the same places. The very bitter seeds are boiled in milk, and given in hemorrhoids and dysentery, and in decoction in fever and gout ; also as an anthelmiutic. The bark of the root is astringent and febrifuge, and is used as a specific in dyientery and bowel complaints. Its milky juice is also used as a vul nerary. The tree has peculiarly-scented flowers, with a form resembling those of the jasmine. The wood is white, of a fine grain, and susceptible of polish, and is used by the turner and cabinet maker. The seeds are covered with a kind of downy tuft, somewhat resembling the down of the thistle. Two kinds of inderjau seeds are dis tinguished in Hindu medicine, the sweet and bitter.. The former has a pleasant taste, not unlike that of oats, which they also resemble somewhat in appearance, but are longer and more slender. An infusion of this roasted seed
is given as a safe and gentle restrainer in bowel complaints ; the decoction is employed in fever cases. The latter, from,W.--antidysenterica, are intensely bitter,- and used as a vermifuge. The bark was greatly lauded in the 18th century by Geoffroy, and it appears to be a remedy of no mean value. A new vegetable alkaloid ex.: traeted from the bark is resinous and uncrystal lizable, of a powerfully bitter and somewhat acrid taste, insoluble in water, but very soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform ; only one part procurable from one thousand parts of dry bark, It is supposed that the seeds contain it in much larger quantities.—Cat. Ex., 1862; Voigt ; Al. E. .1. R. ; O'Sh.; Ind. Ann. Med. Set., Aug. 1856.
Wit IGHTIA MOLLISSIM A. Wall.
Khilawa, . . . Hist). I Dudhia, . . . Holm Grows in the Nagari Hills, in Kamaon, Bijnour, and Garhwal, and is abundant in some inoist forests. It grows in the Sitrilik tract, near the Indus, up to 3500 feet. It grows to the height of 15 feet. Its wood is light yellow, soft, and white, not very durable, fine-grained, polishes well ; used chiefly for combs.—Drs. Cleghorn, Stezeart ; .21/r. Thomson ; 31. E. J. R.