Part 5

58 Aoloo.--The owl. Those who eat its flesh may expect to be deprived of all reasoning faculties, with loss of memory. It produces much wind, and is called in Persian, Boom.

The women of India frequently give it to their husbands, that by the mental weakness it produces, they may obtain more liberty of conduct than might otherwise be agreeable.

59 Alaechee.--A. Kakla. "Amomum Cardamomum, Wild. Amomum Repens, Wood, vol. II. p. 356." It is of two kinds, and very common. The tree is very large, its leaves resemble those of the sugar cane, of the length of a man; it is very fragrant, and both kinds are nearly alike in properties. The physicians of India call it moderately cool, aromatic, and bitter; and that it is useful in bilious affections, rheumatic complaints, and superabundance of mucus; it is likewise said to decrease Aphrodisia, and to be prejudicial in affections of the chest The large kind possesses all these properties in a greater degree than the small; "the latter is called the Guzerattee Alaechee."

60 Alta.--A name for the Lac colour.

61 Amulbedh.--Called also Amulbenth, a very acid fruit of India; the tree much resembles the lime tree, but is rather larger. It is so very acid, that it will, in a few minutes, dissolve a needle, or small shell. It is light and aperient; improves decayed appetite; is cardiac; removes visceral obstructions, and increases all the secretions. I have been accustomed to take out part of the pulp of the fruit, and to fill the empty space with such medicines as assist digestion, and correct disorders of the digestive organs, in a pounded state, and allowing the fruit, thus medicated, to dry, and using it under the title of Amulbedh. It is brought in quantities from Jeynugger, and Ruttunboil. A spurious sort of this is made from the large lemon, and sold in its stead. I have found it useful in promoting digestion, giving relief in rheumatism, and as an aperient (Amul means acid.)

62 Amulchangerie.--An acid fruit, from a plant of India, called Changerie, much resembling the In-ubassaleb, (Nightshade,) and grows about 8 inches high, or more, and is about as much expanded. Its properties are hot, light, and stomachic; it promotes digestion, and is beneficial in Piles and Juzam; it cures laxities of the bowels, and decreases all the secretions, except bile.

63 Amlie.--Tamarindus Indicus. A large tree; the fruit and leaves off it are very small, growing from both sides of a centre stem; they close up at night, and are expanded during the day. The fruit resembles a bean-pod, bent in the centre, and usually less than 8 inches in length; it bends so as to assume the figure of a semi-circle, but often not so much. The Author of the Book Tophut-ul-Momeneen, describes the tree as resembling the Pomegranate tree; but I suspect he had never seen it. It is acid and heavy, removes flatulence, but increases bile and blood.

When ripe, it is laxative, promotes appetite, and is beneficial in oppression after meals. It is dry, light, cardiac, and restores prostration of strength from fatigue. It removes nausea, giddiness, thirst, and general heat. Sherbet prepared from it, should it agree with the stomach, is preferable to any other, and prevents the noxious influence of the hot winds on the system. The kind which is red, ought to be chosen for preserves, and it possesses all the properties of the fresh fruit. The flowers of the tamarind eat with meat, increase its flavor; they also prevent accumulation of bile, are aperient, and increase appetite; but they are improper when acidity prevails in the stomach.

64 Amrutphull.--A name given to the sweet lime. Vide Rajeneemb.

65 Ambarae.--A fruit, the produce of the hills, large and acid.

66 Amarbele.--A name for Afteemoon (Dodder Thyme.)

67 Amroude.--(Guava.) An Indian fruit resembling the pear. It is full of small seeds, and is of an unpleasant smell; its tree resembles the mulberry, but is smaller; the leaves are like the leaf of the mangoe, green, with a tinge of red, and the veins of the leaf are strongly marked. The fruit is pendant, and its shape pyramidal. It is also called Suffryam, "Psidium pyriferum." It strengthens the stomach, produces costiveness, and is astringent. I have given it with good effect in laxities of the bowels.

68 Amratuck.--The name of a culinary vegetable.

69 Amultas.--Called also Kurwara. "Cassia Fistula, W. Sauvernaca, S. Casse, F. Rohnkassie, G. The pulp of its fruit laxative." Its flowers are dressed, and eaten with meat; and it has the virtue of giving it additional flavor, and loosening the bowels.

70 Ananass.--Called also Kutel Sufrie, (The Pineapple,) for this reason, that if the plant is carried along with a person proceeding on a journey, it will produce fruit. It is about the size of the large lime, called Turunje; its color yellow, tinged with red; its surface is irregular, and covered with small prickles; its smell like that of the mangoe, and very pleasant; the whole plant, including the fruit, is about a yard in height; the leaves have serrated edges, and the fruit grows perpendicular. On the top of the stem there is a bunch of leaves growing from the top of the fruit, which if broken off, and planted, is reproductive. It bears fruit only once, and only one fruit at a time. I have not seen its properties noticed in any work, but the people of India call it cooling. It was first described by Abul Fuzul, in the Ayen Akberry; and this was afterwards copied by the Author of the Dhara Shekoih, from which others have copied it. Part of this description I have copied, and from my own observation have added the remainder. In my opinion it is hot in a small degree, and moist in the 2d degree. Its use is grateful to the system, and it gives strength to the intellectual powers, also tone to the stomach. It is injurious to the throat, to the solids, to respiration, and to the intestines; but its corrector is sugar, and if it be sliced, put in rose water to which sugar is added, and allowed to stand for some time, its beneficial properties are increased, while its injurious qualities are prevented or corrected. A preserve made from it, is excellent, and is used with stews and Pilau, as giving them great additional relish.

72 Ambeloona.--A fruit of Hindoostan, acid and astringent, cool and producing costiveness, beneficial in mucus and bile; also in carbuncle, and other tumors and affections of the throat.

73 Ambegool or Angool, or Ambegooda; called also Inderain Soorkh. (Vide the next article.) A plant whose taste is bitter and astringent; it is hot and moist, light and purgative, beneficial in flatulence, mucus, and general swellings. It is vermifuge, and removes pains in the bowels. It is an antidote to poisons, and removes disorders produced by indigestion. The fruit of the plant is sweet and cool, heavy and purgative, useful in affections from wind, bile, and disorders of the blood; it removes general heat, and is beneficial in Marasmus. It decreases the seminal secretion, increases mucus, and strengthens the system. Nourdi Mahommed says, that in the epidemic carbuncle which affects the armpit or throat, this fruit is given with more success than any other medicine; and that one fruit given internally, and another applied to the part, will cure the disease, should there be any stamina remaining in the system. He also says, that if ten pounds of this fruit be steeped for a week in Anula water, taken out and dried, put into a mill, and the oil expressed, and this oil introduced into the nose for 8 days successively, white hair will become black. He writes much more respecting its virtues; but as I have had no experience of them, and cannot vouch for the effect, I forbear to transcribe them.

74 Inderain.--"Cucumis Colocynthus. Wild Gourd. Bitter cucumber. It is said by Thunberg to be rendered so perfectly mild, by being pickled, as to be used as food at the Cape of Good Hope." The fruit of a plant like the small melon, and very bitter; the plant too resembles that of the melon, and in Persian it is called the bitter melon. There are two kinds of this, one I have already described under the head of the preceding article. Both are bitter, powerful, hot, light, and purgative; a cure for Jaundice, useful in bilious and mucous affection, diseases of the spleen, dropsy and fever: they are also vermifuge.

In menstrual suppression the following is said to be effectual.

Of the root of Inderain Soorkh 1 pice weight, pepper 14 grains in number; bruise, and give in water: effectual in two or three days.

Also the following is used by the natives; bitter Toombric seed, Jawakhar, Goor, Mynphill, in equal parts, mixed with the milk of the prickly pear, and formed into a tent; applied to the Os Uteri for 3 days, it will produce fever.

75 Anderjow.--"Nerium Anti-dysentericum, Echites Anti-dysenterica, (Roxb. MS.) Curaya, H. Cutaja, S." A large tree, with leaves like the almond tree; it produces a fruit long and broad, which grow separate from each other. The fruit contains a number of seeds, rather longer than those of the melon, and resembling a bird's tongue. The pulp of the fruit is of a yellowish white, but the seeds are red. Its properties are bitter, pungent, cool, and astringent. It cures flatulence, bile, and fever, is vermifuge, and is useful in piles, and beneficial in that kind of carbuncle the matter of which is infectious: there are two kinds of this, a bitter and a sweet sort: of these, the bitter is to be preferred. In Hemorrhoids, where much blood is discharged, if taken in the quantity of half a tolah daily, in cold water, for eight days, the cure will be accomplished. The bark of the tree, taken in cold water, will remove laxities of the bowels.

76 Anar.--A name for Darim, q. vide. "Punica Granatum."

77 Aunalie.--A name for Shakakool, (Wild Carrot.)

78 Ambaray.--or Ambara, a vegetable used by the poorer classes, resembling Sunn (hemp.) When young, it is hot, heavy, and promotes appetite; it is useful in flatulence, and loosens the belly: when ripe it is sweet and cool, and increases seminal secretion. In the Dunterie it is written, that it is oleaginous and astringent.

79 Ankaloon.--The name of a salt called also Oodoobudh. Vide Loon.

80 Anbertasung.--A name for Sungbusserie.

81 Angud.--The name for Hungoot, q. vide.