TABASHEER, the name given to a siliceous sub stance of vegetable origin, which possesses very remarkable properties, both optical and physical. In the Philosophical Transactions, p. 1819, and in the Edinburgh Journal of Science for April 1828, No. xvi. p. 285, Dr. Brewster has given a full ac count of these properties, so that we shall content ourselves with giving a general abstract of them.
" Bamboo-manna" (says Dr. Wilson* the learned secretary of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta,) " is known in the Materia Medica of the Hindus by a variety of appellations, implying simply its being the produce of the bamboo, or denominatingit from some of its sensible properties, the milk, sugar, or camphor of bamboos. The name in ordinary use is the ornament of the bamboo, cor rupted in the vernacular dialect to Bunslochan. The name in use amongst the Mahommedans of In dia is Tabasheer, an Arabic word, explained by Meninski, liquor, specie sacchari concretes in arun dine Indica 7najore, et quasi petrefactus; in India, saccar Bambu (sugar of the Bamboo,) dicitur, pro quo cineres nodorum aul radicum o distrahi so lent.
According to the Sanscrit works on medicine, such as the Bhava Prakas and Raja Nighant, the bunslochun is slightly austere, astringent, and sweetish to the taste. It possesses cooling and demulcent properties, allays thirst and fever, and relieves cough and difficult breathing. It sweetens the humours, and is serviceable in jaundice and le prosy. Its chief virtues, however, and those for which it is mostly esteemed, are supposed to be of a restorative nature, and it is highly apprized as an aphrodisiac.
In the markets of Calcutta it is found in three states. The best is termed Palnai, being brought from Patna, and is in small compact pieces of a milky-white colour, having the lustre of cmanel, and being semitransparent. It is termed Nilkunthi, from its bluish tinge, and Paharika, from its being brought from the Pahar, or hills to the westward of Behar. The second sort is of a dead white colour,
without lustre or transparency, and much more friable than the preceding. It is termed Chheluta, the Bengali corruption of Sylhet apparently, whence it is well known that this substance is procured. The third and worst kind is termed Desi or coun try; it is white; with a yellowish tinge, less friable than the second sort, but without lustre or trans parency. The last is said to be soluble in water; the two first are not. An artificial bunslochun is also manufactured from chalk.
The following information respecting the Pha rica or bill tabasheer, has been received from Cap tain Mayfair, residing at llazareebagh.
Bunslochun is found at Zelda, Boondoo, sixty miles from Huzareebagh, at Luka Kole, 100 miles from thence, at Palamow and at Nagpore.
It is found in the small hill bamboo. In a clump of fifty or sixty, only five or six contain the sub stance.
From each bamboo one or two rutties (four or five grains) are usually obtainable. It very rarely happens that four anas (from forty to fifty grains are procured.
It is found in the same bamboo of different quali ties. The best sort is of a bluish white colour and glossy surface. An inferior kind is of a chalky white without lustre, and the worst sort is brown and even black.
The raw material is sold at ten rupees a seer; but it is prepared for use, and in that state sells from forty to fifty rupees per seer.
The only preparation, however, is its imperfect calcination.
A quantity is placed in an open vessel of baked clay upon a fire of charcoal, which is urged with bellows till the vessel and its contents become of a red heat. The manna first becomes black, but when raised to a red heat, emits a fine diffusible aroma.
It is kept red hot for some time, occasionally stir red with an iron spoon, and sometimes another ves sel is inverted over that in which it is contained.
The fire is then allowed to subside, and as it cools, the bunslochun resumes its white colour.