52
MATE RIA MEDICA
Paris Used.—The hairs of the seeds or cotton (No. 98), the seeds
(No. 99), young capsules (No. 100) and young shoots or leaves (No.
101).
Synonyms.—Of the hairs of the seeds—Cotton, Eng. Coton, Fr.
Bamwolle, Ger. Rúí, Hind. and Duk. Parutti, Tam. Patti, Pratti,
Tel. Parutti, Malyal Hatti, Can. Rui, Phútá, Karpásh or Kapás,
Beng. Karpás or Karpása, Sans. Kápús,Mah. Ru,G u z .
K a p u ,
Cing Gún or Gon, Wá,, Bur. Qutun or Qutn, Arab. Panbah, Pers.
Of the seeds—Banólé, Hind. and Duk. Parutti-virai, Tam. Patti-
-vittulu, Karpása-vittulu, Pratti-vittulu, Tel. P a r u t t i - v i t t a ,
Hatti-bíja, Can. Karpásh-bíj , Kappás bíj , Karpásh-bíchí, Beng.
Karpása-bíjam, Sans. Kápúsá-chá-bí,
M a h R ú - n ú - b í j , K a p á s - n u - b í j ,G
u z .
K a p u - a t t a ,
C i n g .
W á - s í ,
B u r .
H a b b u l - q u t n ,
A r a b .
Pan-bah-dánch, Pers. Of the capsules—Young or tender cotton fruit or
capsules, Eng. Kapás-ké-pindé, Duk. Kounlébóndé-Kapás-ké, Hind.
Parutti-pinji, Tam. Patti-pende, Tel. Of the young shoots or
leaves—Kapás-ké-kónpal, Hind. Kapás-ké-kóplíyán, Duk.
Local Sources. The cotton and cotton-seeds are the commonest
articles in the bazaar, but the young capsules and the young shoots are
not sold. They can be obtained or gathered very easily.
Price.—Of the cotton—Wholesale, Rs. 1⅛ p e r m a u n d ; r e t a i l o r
bazaar, Anna 1 per pound. Of the-seeds—Wholesale, Rs. 3 per maund;
retail or bazaar, As. 2 per pound.
Physiological Actions. The cotton is not used internally. The seeds
are nutrient and demulcent ; and the young capsules and shoots, demul-
cent, slightly diuretic and astringent.
Therapeutic Uses.—The cotton is a very useful external remedy in
burns, scalds and some other surgical diseases. The seeds exercise some
good influence over gonorrhœa, gleet, chronic cystitis, consumption and
some catarrhal affections. The fresh young capsules and shoots have
been observed to produce good effects in some cases of dysentery and
gonorrhœa. The control of the seeds over gonorrhœa and gleet is more
manifest when combined with some other drugs, whose prescription is
given under the head of Remarks.
Preparations.—As it is rather difficult to separate the kernel from the
seeds, the latter are bruised and rubbed in water, strained through cloth
and administered in the form of a draught. The fresh young capsules
and shoots are also prepared and used in draught in the same way.
Doses.—Of the seeds, from two to four drachms ; and of the fresh
young capsules or shoots, one handful.
European Drugs for which they may be substituted.—The cotton for
lint and tow imported from Europe. The seeds and other parts, for the
oil of copaiba, cubebs, Iceland-moss, cod-liver oil, &e.
Remarks.—The cotton is known too well to require any description.
It is the most useful and common remedy in burns and scalds, to which
it is generally applied with Carron oil (equal parts of linseed oil and.
lime water) to assist the healing process by excluding the air and main-
taining an equable temperature. For the same reasons, it is a very
useful article for enveloping or wrapping up the limbs and other parts
in some other diseases, as senile-gangrene, and also after some surgical