OF MADRAS.
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the tap-root of the young plant—Sémal-músli,
Hind. Of the bark—Ragat-sémal-kí-chhal,
Kànti-sénbal -kí-chhàl, Hind. Làl-khatyàn-kí-chhàl, Duk. Mul-ilava-pattai,
Tam. Mundla-búraga-patta, Tel. Mull-ilava-tóla,
Rokto-
sémal-sàl, Kattu-imbul-potta, Cing. Of the cotton—The red-
cotton, Eng. Ragat-sénbal-kí-rúí, Hind. Lál-khatyànki-rúí, Duk.
Mul-ilava-parutti, Tam. Mundla-búraga-patti, Mul-ilava-patti, Tel.
Mul-ilava-parutti, Mullu-bú-raga-hatti, Can.
R o k t o - s é m a l ,
B e n g .
K a t t u - i m b u l - k a p u ,
C i n g .
L e p à n - b i n - g u n , L e p h à n - b i n - w à ,
Bur.
Local Sources.—Of the three varieties of the gum (Mócharas)
described under the head of " Remarks," the third is plentiful in all the
large bazaars of South India, the first is met with occasionally, and the
second is rather rare. The young fruit (Maràti-moggu) is more common
and abundant than the gum ; and the seeds, tap-root of the young
plant, bark and cotton are not sold, but as the plant is pretty common
in Madras, there is no difficulty in collecting them in the proper
season.
Price.—Of the third variety of the gum, which is most commonly
met with in the bazaar—Wholesale, Rs. 8 per maund ; retail or bazaar,
As. 6 per pound. Of the first variety—Wholesale, Rs. 12 per maund ;
retail or bazaar, As. 8 per pound. Of the dry young fruit—Wholesale,
Rs. 3 per maund; retail or bazaar, As. 2 per pound.
Physiological Actions.—The gum is astringent and demulcent; the
seeds nutrient and demulcent ; the young fruit stimulant-diuretic,
tonic, aphrodisiac, expectorant, and exercises a great beneficial influence
over the membrane of the genito-urinary organs ; the tap-root is
demulcent, tonic, slightly diuretic, and aphrodisiac ; the bark is demul-
cent; diuretic, tonic, and slightly astringent ; and the cotton is employed
only externally for its mechanical properties (softness and elasticity)
in padding splints and covering burned and inflamed surfaces, &c.
Therapeutic Uses.—The gum is useful in diarrhœa, dysentery and
other affections in which kino and catechu are beneficial. The thera-
peutic uses of the seeds are similar to those of the seeds of G o s s y p i u m
herbaccum, G. arboreum and G. Barbadense. The benefit of the dry young
fruits in calculous affections and chronic inflammation and ulceration of
the bladder and kidneys, including strangury and all other forms of
dysuria, except those depending on mechanical causes, is remarkable.
The fruits are also useful in weakness of the genital organs and in most
of the disorders in which Gentian and Calumba are resorted to. As
therapeutic agents, the tap-root, and the bark in the forms of decoction
and extract, are nearly identical in their usefulness with Màràti m o g g u
and therefore employed in almost the same affections. The cotton of
B. malabaricum is useful in all the surgical cases, &c., in which the
cotton of Cochlospermum Gossypium is employed, and the manner of
using it is also the same.
Preparations.—Of the gum—Simple and compound powders. The
simple powder is to be prepared in the ordinary way. Compound
powder : Take of Mócharas, in powder, four drachms and thirty-two
grains ; (Batea frondosa), in powder, four drachms ;
opium, in powder, sixteen grains ; and the dry mucus or pulp of the