Part 14

263 Phooth.--"Cucumis Momordica," (Roxb.) P. Dustumboeah. Its properties approach those of the melon when unripe. In my opinion, as nature has given it a sweet smell, it must be beneficial in strengthening the heart and brain; but it encourages the attack of putrid fever. It is used to form a sherbet with sugar and rose-water, for the above-mentioned beneficial purposes.

264 Bhuntaki.--("The wild Bhengun; is the Solanum Melongena,") a name for Badinjan; sweet, pungent, and penetrating, and during digestion, bitter, hot, and light; beneficial in diminishing phlegm and bile, strengthens the circulation, clears the complexion, promotes appetite, and cures fever and cough.

When ripe, it is hot and heavy, and increases the bilious secretion. The white kind is inferior in virtue to the black. Some call it hot, others cold. I have from experience found it excellent in giving strength to the stomach; that it is very drying, and produces vitiated bile; from this circumstance it prevents sleep, or produces unpleasant dreams: its correctors are ghee or oil. Although I have stated all these properties, yet as a culinary vegetable it is in very general use, it cannot possess them in any great degree; it is called Benghun.

265 Pechuck.--A name for Bidjosaar.

266 Beedjbund.--(From the Maadentezerrabad.) A medicine of India, red and black; its seed resembles that of the onion, red and shining; the red kind is to be preferred. It is aphrodisiac, increases seminal secretion, strengthens the back and loins. It is cool and dry, flatulent and difficult of digestion; its corrector is sugar; its sucoedaneum, the seed of the Antungun. The dose is one miskal with equal parts of sugar.

267 Benth.--"Calamus Rotang." Of this there are many kinds; one kind called ToÊikam, another Jillbenth, a fourth Itchill; the whole four are cool and cure swellings, piles, pains in the uterus, boils, eruptions, acne, difficulty in voiding urine, are lithonthriptic, useful in affections of wind and mucus, also foulness of blood. Jillbenth is astringent and flatulent, and Itchill is an antidote to poison.

268 Peetul.--(Brass.) P. Bering. It is not an original metal, but a composition. In its properties it is equally cool, hot, and dry; it cures disorders of wind, phlegm, jaundice, and affections of the spleen. A kind of this is called Sonepeetul.

269 Peepul.--"Ficus Religiosa." A tree of India, very large and common; the young leaves are green, but when well formed become yellowish; it is cool; cures disorders of bile, phlegm, and blood; is useful in boils and eruptions. The bark of the tree is aphrodisiac, strengthens the loins, and restrains watery discharge from the urethra; and this I have found from experience. Some say, this is called in P. Lirzan. Its fruit is about twice the size of the PhaÏsa. It tastes like the fig. It is called Peepulie, and is when ripe of a yellowish color. In the Maadentezerrabad, it is thus mentioned. "The Peepul tree in Persian is called Lirzan; in the opinion of the inhabitants of India, cool and dry. Its fruit diminishes the secretion of bile, promotes digestion, relaxes the bowels; and if the bark be infused in water and applied to boils, it will hasten suppuration and promote the discharge of the matter; if the bark be burnt and thrown into water, it will quickly purify it."

270 Bale.--A name for Raebale; cool and light; cures disorders of phlegm, and is an antidote to poisons.

271 Baele.--"Called also Byll, Cratoeva, or ∆gle Marmelos; Wood Apple." The name of a fruit which grows like the quince; its seeds are larger than those of the Ryhan. I have seen the tree, it is like the Bukaen; its leaves very soft and tender, broad and long, somewhat like the Moong: on each small sprig it has three leaves. Some have said that it was originally wild, but subsequently brought into our gardens; that which is now in gardens is larger than that which grows uncultivated. The fruit is hollowed out and used as snuff-boxes, and for several other purposes. It is a very common tree in India; it is bitter, astringent, and a little sweetish, hot, and moist; when ripe it is heavy, producing phlegm, bile, and wind, causing heat of stomach, and is difficult of digestion. It destroys appetite and induces costiveness; but unripe it is light, strengthens the circulation, and the whole body; induces costiveness; increases appetite, hastens digestion, and cures disorders of wind and phlegm. I have given it with other medicines for the cure of diarrhoea with good effect. "And in dysentery, a table-spoonful of the pulp, made into sherbet, and taken several times a day, has been effectual."

272 Peeloo.--"Salvadora Persica." "Careya Arborea," (Roxb.) The Indian name for this, Araak. It is a wild growing shrub, about the height of a long spear, (8 feet,) with many branches; it is broad and round in its general appearances; its leaves thin, and about 1/2 an inch long. The fruit is called Peel or Peeludj; it is hot, light, and aperient; promotes appetite, cures Badgola, piles, affections of the spleen and wind; is lithonthriptic; useful in disorders of the blood; it produces bile, and in all favorite formulÊ, it forms an ingredient. The fruit is also called Jhal; it is bitter, laxative, lessens phlegm, general heat, Juzam, fever, and worms. The wood of the Peeloo used as a tooth-brush, is excellent for preserving the gums.

273 Peoke, or Peossie.--The first milk given by any animal after the birth of its young. A. Lubba. It increases the bulk of the solids, and inclination towards aphrodisia, but it causes hiccough, and the formation of stone in the bladder, and is difficult of digestion; its corrector is sweetmeats.

274 Peease.--"Allium Cepa. Agnon, F. Swiebel, G. Cipolla, I. Pallandoo, S. Onion." A. Bosool. Pungent, and during digestion sweet; hot in a small degree, and in its effects resembling Garlic. It increases mucus, removes disorders of wind, and hydrocele. There is a smaller sort, called Karinjun, which increases bile, produces costiveness, and cures piles. There is a third kind, which when dried is white, and is recommended to be kept in any house to prevent the approach of snakes or any venomous reptiles.

275 Peeplamool.--The name given to the root of the Peepul tree, but some give the name to the whole tree, and some give the name to the fibres of the root of any tree; but judging from the name, I conceive it to be what I have just stated. Mool being root, and Peepul must indicate the kind of root. The idiom is Indian, and I think must be correct. It is bitter and pungent, dry and stomachic; promotes digestion, cures disorders of wind and phlegm, but impairs the eye-sight and seminal secretions.

276 Bear.--Called also Konar, "Ziziphus Jujuba." Sweet, cool, heavy, aperient, causes wind, produces corpulency, cures disorders of bile, wind, blood, general heat, and the disease called Rajerogue; also allays thirst. Another kind of this, named Husthkool, and a third called Kurkund, q. vide.

277 Peeta.--Called also Khunda, q. vide.

278 Passownie.--A name for ChÌrk·kÛlie.

279 Bealduntuck.--A name for Kh·rkh˙suck, meaning a snake's tooth. This is known to every one.

280 Peeche.--Congee, or rice water; it is cool and allays thirst; it is proper food for the sick; drank with rose water, Beelemoosk and sugar, or with pomegranate sherbet, it produces cold, strengthens the circulation, and entirely allays general heat.

281 Beerbahootie.--An insect very common in the rainy season, resembling scarlet velvet; hot in the 3rd and moist in the 2nd deg. One insect, with the legs taken off, ate with Paan, is very efficacious in paralytic disorders, and other complaints from cold. Bruised and mixed with water, it is used as an aphrodisiac, in seminal weakness, &c. Its oil is also used as an external application in debility brought on by onanism, and for giving strength to the muscular fibres. Its succed. is the Kinchua.

"I have prescribed the Beerbahootie with decided good effects in paralysis, commencing with one and increasing to three or four in the day: 1 or 2 given with a little pounded nutmeg is said to be very efficacious in spasms in the bowels of children."

282 Talmukara, or Talmukana.--"Bartleria longifolia." A seed, very small, and like the zeera, red, the color of Toodrie, but the Toodrie is round, whereas this is longish and smaller. The plant is knotted like a reed, and has prickles on the joints. The flower is like the lotus, but is whiter. It is cool and heavy; increases seminal secretion, and cures disorders of wind and blood; it forms an ingredient in all aphrodisiac formulÊ; it is taken mixed with cow's milk, either cold or boiled. In the Maadentezerrabad, it is thus described.

Talmukana is a medicine of India; its seed of a brown color, like that of the Anjera; cool and moist; used as an aphrodisiac, in cases of seminal weakness, in gonorrhoea, and in chancres. It is astringent; strengthens the system; is flatulent, and not easy of digestion: its corrector is sugar; its succed. Moosliesia. The dose six masha.

283 Taal, or Taar.--"Borassus Flabelliformis." A very high tree, about 60 feet, more or less; very common in the Deccan and in Bengal. At Agra it is more common than at Delhi; the leaves grow at the top of the stem; they are broad and long; and of these are formed Punkahs, which are much esteemed and carried to various parts. They are also used for writing upon; its fruit is like the cocoanut; the kernel of the fruit is cut into pieces, and ate with sherbet and sugar; it is very sweet to the taste, and is called the Tirkool.

The upper part of the stem of the fruit is cut across, and the liquid which exudes from the wound, received into earthen vessels called Labnahs, and these fill several times in the course of the day. This liquor is called Taarie: when fresh drawn and before the sun is above the horizon, it is sweet to the taste; but it soon becomes fermented, and is then intoxicating. It is cool and moist, beneficial in disorders of wind and bile, also in boils and eruptions. It is both aperient, and aphrodisiac. A liquor distilled from the Taarie, is to be preferred: roasted or stewed meat should be eaten along with it. It produces pains in the limbs, and heaviness of the head, and is as intoxicating as spirits. The fruit is sweet and cool, heavy and flatulent, causes pains in the limbs, cures affections of wind, bile, blood, and bruises; it relieves general heat, and allays thirst. Its seed is also sweet, cool, and diuretic; useful in disorders of wind and bile. P. Khoormae Aboojile, or Khoormae Hindee. A. it is called Doom, but the author of the Munhage says, that Doom means the Googul tree. The Maadentezerrubad thus describes it: taar is a tree like the date tree; its leaves about a yard long; the kernel of the fruit is often sold for the sea cocoanut. The juice of this tree is the taarie, so well known; it is equally hot and cold, and moist in the 2nd degree. It is aphrodisiac and diuretic, induces corpulency, and if taken to excess produces intoxication and head-ache. If fresh drawn, it is sweet and less intoxicating; but allowed to remain for a night, it becomes acid, and then it is very inebriating. The fresh taarie improves the complexion, moistens the brain; is beneficial in hectic fever, in difficulty of breathing, in depression of the spirits, and is aperient. If allowed to remain long, it becomes sour, smells very strong; is heating, and causes vomiting and indigestion.

In the Lyzuttoor rejal, it is thus mentioned: taarrie is an intoxicating produce of the taar tree, very common to the eastward. The tree resembles the date tree, but its leaves are different: when fresh, the taarie is hot and moist, induces corpulency; is aphrodisiac, diuretic, and when it has acquired a strong smell, is intoxicating, and in that state, it is very heating, and produces indigestion, with heaviness of the brain. The sherbet of the pomegranate allays vomiting brought on by its use. Its succedaneum is a decoction of dates called Sendhi.

284 Taalesputter.--A name of Talesphir; of this there are many and various accounts, some call it the leaf of the wild olive, zeatoon, and others call it the bark of the Lissaan nulaej safeer, or Biss'bassa. The author of the Topha says, that he considers it the same as the Tewaje Kutai. The people of India deem it hot, light, aphrodisiac, stomachic, promoting digestion, curing difficulty of breathing, cough, disorders of phlegm, badgola, and hectic fever.

285 Tanbirr.--"Copper." It is sweet, cool, light, and aperient: cures disorders of bile and phlegm; useful in marasmus, Juzam, piles, asthma, swellings, cough, and ague. It is caustic, and in A. is called Nowhass. P. Miss. The physicians of India use it in a calcined form, and speak much in its favour. If it be properly prepared, it will be soluble in water. In my opinion, if it does not produce heat in the blood, nausea, pains in the bones, and joints, giddiness, and confusion of ideas, it will be fortunate, and will be a sign, that it has been well prepared; and should it stand both these tests, it may be used with comparative safety.