62
MATERIA MEDICA
Emetic-nut (Randia dumetorum), in powder, one drachm and four grains.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly, pass the compound powder through a
fine sieve, and finally rub it lightly in a mortar. Of the seeds—The
seeds are used in the form of emulsion by bruising them with water and
straining the liquid through cloth. Of the dry young fruits—Simple
powder, which is to be prepared in the usual manner, after removing
their stalks. Of the tap-root—Simple powder, prepared by pulverizing
the dry slices of the tap-root in the ordinary way. It should be kept
in a stoppered bottle. Of the bark—Decoction and extract. Decoction :
Take of the bark, in coarse powder, four ounces ; water two pints ; boil
till the liquid is reduced to one pint, cool and strain. Extract : Take of
the bark, in coarse powder, one pound ; boiling water, one gallon ; soak
for twenty-four hours and then boil till the liquid is reduced to one pint.
Strain and evaporate the liquor over a sand or water-bath to the consist-
ence of an extract.
Doses.—Of the simple powder of the gum, from twenty to forty
grains ; and of the compound powder, from sixteen to thirty-two grains.
Of the seeds, from two to three drachms ; of the powder of the fruit,
from thirty grains to one drachm ; of the powder of the tap-root, from
forty to eighty grains ; of the decoction, from one to two fluid ounces ;
and of the extract, from seven to fifteen grains ; three or four times in
the twenty-four hours.
European Drugs for which they may be substitated.—The gum for
Kino, Rhatany and Logwood ; the seeds for Tragacanth, Sweet-almonds
and Copaiba ; and the young fruit, tap-root and bark, for Pareira Brava,
Buchu, Broom-tops, Phosphorus, Cantharides, Calumba, Gentian and
Spiritus Ætheris Nitrosi.
Remarks.—There are at least three varieties of the gummy sub-
stance known as Mócharas in the bazaar. The first variety occurs in
very irregular, nodular, smooth, opaque, light or pale-brown pieces with
internal cavities. The cavities are generally small and numerous, but
sometimes few and, large. In the latter case, the pieces often assume
the appearance of a shell. The second is a mere sub-variety of the
first, and the only difference between them is that the pieces in the
former are very hard, heavy, dark-brown and cannot be reduced to
powder without great difficulty. They are sometimes so smooth that
they shine, and possess but few cavities. The third and most common
variety consists of very irregular, angular and hard fragments or pieces
of various size and of a dark or dirty brown color. The drug in all its
varieties is odorless and possesses an astringent and demulcent taste.
-When placed in water it swells up to a considerable size, and some
tannin enters into solution, the insoluble portion resembles tragacanth.
Mócharas is considered in some native medical works to be the
produce of Areca Catechu, hence its Persian name Gulefófal , which means
the flowers of betel-nut ; and in many others it is referred to B. mala-
baricum as its source. To make myself sure on this point, I made
many examinations and inquiries during the last seventeen or eighteen
years, and am in a position to say that there is no connection whatever
between Mócharas and Areca Catechu. I can also state positively that all
the varieties of Mócharas met with in the bazaar are, as I shall show
presently, the produce of B. malabaricum. With reference to this point