Part 9

133 Pithpapra.--Oldenlandia biflora. Bitter, cool, light, and in its effects astringent; beneficial in affections and disorders of bile, mucus, and blood; also in general heat; useful in giddiness, thirst, and fever; it generates flatulence. A. Shaterra.

134 Batassa.--A name for Phaneer.

135 Buthua, or Pasthuk, "Chenopodium album." A plant about a yard high, or even less; its leaves are small like the mint, soft and serrated; when the plant is old, it becomes a little larger, but the leaves remain the same. It is used in India as a culinary vegetable, and ate with or without meat; the leaves are sweetish when young; it delights to grow near water, and is found both in the wild and cultivated state, but the wild is considered the best; it is light and laxative, strengthens the system, is useful in affections of the spleen, eruptions from diffusion of bile, piles, worms, ascarides in the rectum, and corrects all natural secretions except blood. A. Kutf.

136 Butela.--A kind of Pea: see Muttur.

137 Butaer.--The Quail, Perdix Olivacea, (Buch.) Its flesh is cool, and promotes appetite; is beneficial in fever, and corrects the three principal secretions. Some have said, that this is a name for Tihoo; it resembles the partridge, but is only about half the size. In my opinion, it is cool and hot in equal degrees; it forms a desirable food for the sick, or emaciated; it strengthens the stomach, and produces costiveness.

138 Batees.--A name for Atees, already described.

139 Pytha.--The gall-bladder of any animal. Bile is hot and dry, but no general account can be given of its properties, as almost that of every animal differs from another. If goat's bile be used, it will relieve an affection of the liver, and if it be mixed with camphor and butter, and introduced into the ear, it will cure tooth-ache, or rubbed into the abdomen of a child below the navel, it will prove laxative. Cow's bile, if introduced into the ear, will cure pain arising from wind, mucus or bile.

140 Putalphoorie.--The name of a grass, which grows in rocky places, from which it has either derived its name or from its property of dissolving the stone in the urinary or gall-bladder. It is a very small plant; its leaves, like those of the Lobeia (a small bean), when chewed are found to be very mucilaginous. It is a powerful medicine in dysuria, and is beneficial in dissolving stones in the urinary or gall-bladder. Of this I have several times had proof within my own observation; and I have given it to the extent of 5 or 6 mashas in these disorders, combined with sugar, or with other diuretic medicines, or sherbets, or even in plain water; a substitute for this may sometimes be found in Gokroo, in cucumber seeds, or some such cooling medicine. A distilled water from it is in use. In one case where I used the Putalphoorie, I found, that while fresh and green, it was not so beneficial, and induced costiveness; but when dried and given, it was much more effectual and less prejudicial.

141 Puturjenie.--A name for Lichmuna and Lichmunie.

142 Butchudder.--A species of the Catechu tree; hot and astringent, beneficial in Aphtha, tooth-ache, blood, itch, poisons, and phlegm.

143 Budjaesaar.--The name of a tree; the best sort is called Bidjaesaar; it is beneficial in Juzam, ptyalism, white leprosy, seminal weakness, ascarides in the rectum, disorders of bile and blood, cleansing the fluids, strengthening the roots of the hair, and it is well known as an ingredient in many formulÊ.

144 Bitchoo, (Scorpion.).--A. Akrub. Its medicinal properties are described in Yunani works. Bitchoo Diriag is small and of a blackish color, tinged with red, and has a sting on its head with which it wounds; its eyes are pointed, and its head is large in proportion to its body. The author of the Dara Shekoi supposes this to be the Singee fish.

145 Bejoura.--A. Utrudj, though some describe them as distinct species.

146 Butch.--Acorus Calamus, W. Vacha, S. Sweet-scented flag, Acorus Odorant, F. Kalamus Nurtzil, G. Calamo Aromatica, J. Acoro Calamo, S. Wedj. A. Agrtoorki. P. One kind of this is white; both kinds are bitter, pungent, hot and stomachic: loosens mucus from the throat, cures itch, mucous disorders, epilepsy, idiotism, the influence of evil spirits. In the Maadentezerrabad it is written, that the Indians have a belief, that if the butch be taken, cut in small pieces, and put into an earthen pot, with ghee sufficient to cover it about an inch, that is one part of the butch and two of ghee, and this pot placed in Jow for 40 days, and 15 mashas of this taken daily, it will cure paralysis and loss of memory, and all complaints arising from cold.

147 Budgerkund.--Called also Soorun, q. vide.

148 Beechnak.--The name of a poison; vide Singia.

149 Bedareekund.--A kind of Baraikund. Of this two kinds are described; one of which is white, and called Chitturkund; the properties of all are alike.

150 Bedarkee.--Also a name for Bedareekund.

151 Budhill.--Indian Suffergill (as it is called); the fruit of a large tree, very common all over India; the tree is like a middle-sized Jamin; its leaves are broad and longer than the Daak, but the latter is round, whereas this is longish, irregular on the back, and very brittle; when ripe the fruit is of a sweet acid taste, and when unripe it is perfectly sour; when about half ripe, it is hot, heavy, and flatulent, producing wind, disorders of bile, decreasing aphrodisia and appetite, and increasing phlegm; when ripe its properties are quite the reverse; but with respect to the disorders produced by suffusion of bile, I have not ascertained if it is beneficial or otherwise. The Dara Shekoi has not noticed this medicine, and for my information I am indebted to works of Hindoostan. As far as I can judge, it increases the tone of the stomach, raises the spirits; but taken in quantities, it is difficult of digestion and produces flatulence. It is acid, and therefore remedies bile, but it increases cough. The kernel is astringent.

152 Bedhara.--A medicine of India, brought from the hills; it is a light wood about the thickness of liquorice root; bitter and astringent, hot and aperient. It is aphrodisiac; useful in disorders of wind, phlegm, and blood; also in swellings of the body, seminal weakness, and forms an ingredient in many approved formulÊ.

153 Pudmeinie.--(The Winter Lilly.) The flower of the Kawul; sweet and cool, heavy and stomachic, astringent and useful in disorders of bile, mucus, and blood. A. Neelophir.

154 Pudumcharnie.--A kind of the above, with few leaves; light and beneficial in mucous disorders and suppression of urine, and it hardens the matrix. For a more particular account, see Kawul.

155 Pudumrauj.--Sweet and astringent; cool and aperient; it strengthens the eyes, corrects corpulence, cures boils, eruptions, and is an antidote to poison. A. Yacootlal.

156 Pedloon.--A kind of salt; vide Noon. The salt of lead, called also Kutchloon.

157 Burrh.--A large tree of Hindoostan, very common, cool and heavy; astringent, useful in mucous disorders, in bile, boils, and eruptions. In the Maadentezerrabad it is called Reesha in Persian. If the milk is applied to swellings or boils, it will effect a cure by resolution; or if applied to the eye, will remove specks on the cornea. If a tooth be at all loose, the milk applied to it will cause it to fall out without pain, but care must be taken that it be not applied to the sound tooth. If the bark of the tree be put into the pan in which fish is fried, it will soften the bones. The young shoots of the hanging roots and the bark, are cool, dry, and astringent; the milk is hot and powerful; the fruit less so. If the above-mentioned young shoots be bruised and put into a cloth, and heated over the fire, it forms an excellent and affectual application to lumbago or other rheumatic affections. The fruit, ate with milk and sugar, is mentioned as aphrodisiac, and increasing certain secretions. The young shoots of the pendent roots and leaves, and the bark are astringent, and useful in diarrhoea. The leaf-buds are also recommended for the same complaint, dressed with meat or otherwise.

158 Birnaan or Burna.--A tree of Adjmere; the wood of which is used for making beads, which from their beauty are sent to different places as presents. Its medicinal property is hot and aperient, stomachic, beneficial in disorders of the blood, phlegm, wind, dysuria, and emaciation; it is vermifuge, and lithontriptic.

159 Purpeeloo.--The Araaq Hindui. Cool, and useful in itch, Juzam, hemorrhoids, disorders of blood, mucus, and bile.

160 Beridda.--A medicine of Hindoostan; cool, and grateful, increasing seminal secretion, removing cough, hectic fever, disorders of blood, and phlegm, and increasing the strength of the solids.