Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-06-19
A MOSQUITO PLANT

LOnuOn llues VIII Interest tne mO-
squito experts:
SRA growing specimen Of the
mosquito plant (ocimum viride),
which have just succeeded in bring
Ing home alive from Northern Nigeria,
has been accepted by the authorities
at Kew. where It can now be seen.
can personally testify to the extra
ordinary effect which is produced on
mosquitoes by the pleasant odour OF its
fresh leaves. and. by placing two or
three growing pots of the plant in each
room and along the windward veran-
dab. a house can be kept practically
| free from these insects.
One of the malaria-giying specimens
which | caught alive and tenderly en-
closed with a leaf Of the plant lost
consciousness in a few seconds.
The scent OF the bruised leaf partly
resembles wild thyme and eucalyptus
The ordinary wild mint, the leaves Of
which are somewhat similar. should
not be COMPOUNDED with It. The natives
where the plant is found prefer an in
fusion of its leaves to quinine in cases
OF malarial fever when they themselves
or their children are attacked, and de-
clare that. at any rate for them, the
infusion invariably proves more eff
cacious than our antidote.
The schools Of medicine which fol-
low the modern mosqulto-malaria the
DRY might therefore give the matter
some attention in the way OF expert
ments on fever patients.
In India alone. where soldiers in
barrack rooms are not supplied with
mosquito nets. the use of the plant
would prove an undoubted comfort,
even II found wanting as a complete
protection against malaria
am. &C.,
II. d. LARYMoRE, Capt. r. A..
Resident, Northern Nigeria.
Christs College, Cambridge. April 26.
To the Editor Of the Times.
Sir:-With reference to the letter in
The Times OF this morning from Cap.
tain H.. d. Larymore on the so-called
mosquito plant" (Ocimum viride).
may mention that allied basils have
been known from time immemorial"
to the Hindu throughout India as a de-
fence against mosquitoes, and prophy-
tactic in malarious districts. They
recognize several species, such as ran
tulsi or wild Tulsi"; sufaid-tulsi. or
white Tulsi"; kala-tulsi. or "black
Tulsl" (sweet basiD; Ram-tulsi 90.
Igratisslmum) Krishna-tulsi; and tul-
81. par excellence. called also parnasa
70. sanctum). One or other OF these
basils is found growing everywhere in
most Of them are grown in gardens; in
Farther India especially they are plant
ed upon and about graves; and a decoc-
ton Of the stalks and leaves Is a uni
va sal remedy in cases OF malarial few
err. The last-named species is sacred
to Vishnu, being called after the beau
tiful Tulsi, who excited the jealousy
OF his wife Lakshmi, who transformed
the fair maiden into the plant which
Vishnu at once consecrated to the SER
vice of his most distinguishing rites.
THE holy basil" is therefore planted
before every Vaishnava house. and
every Vaishnava wears necklaces. or
armlets, and carries rosary, made up
of sections OF its stalks or roots: and
Hindus are sworn on the waters OF the
Ganges poured into the palm OF the
hand, crossed with sprig Of holy
basil; and sprigs Of the plant are borne
by the Brahmans at all funeral cere-
monies. One OF the most charming
sights in India-the India OF the Hin
dus-is that OF a fair Brahmini wo.
man, in the villages OF the Deccan
| c'righthand" country, early every
morning, after having ground the corn
for the daily bread of the family, and
performed her simple toilet, with the
fearless frankness OF the Athenian
ladies at the fair-howing fountains OF
;Callirrhoe, walking, with stately steps
and slow, round and round (pra-dak-
shina, turning to the right. e.,
with the suns shadow, the Tulsi plant
placed on the four-horned altar before
the house Of 1.-The father of her child
rem" invoking on him and them, with
outstretched arms and uplifted eyes OF
duplication. the blessings OF all-in-
dulgent heaven-that Is, praying for
less and less carbonic acid and even