Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/30

Rh employed in this country for the destruction of Tigers, &c* * Dr. Wallich (Plant Asta Rar) states, on the authority of Henry Colebrooke, Esq. that the Bikh is employed in the northern part of Hindoostan for destroying Tigers, but in a way different from that here recommended. "Arrows poisoned with that drug are shot from bows fixed near the tracks leading to their watering places, and it generally appears that the animal is found dead at the latter." The following extract from Mr. Royle's Illustrations, &c. embraces in a condensed form nearly all the information we possess respecting its properties and uses. In all the native works, the Bikh is represented as being a deadly poison, even in the smallest doses. The Hindoo works quoted by Dr. Hunter, describe it as being at first sweetish (hence the affix meetha, sweet), and then followed by a roughness on the tongue, or as it is expressed in one work, "seizing the throat." Dr. Buchanan has informed us, that it is equally fatal when taken into the stomach, and when applied to wounds : hence used for poisoning arrows and killing wild animals. The futility of the Gorkhas attempting to poison the springs of water was shown in the last campaign, and Dr. Govan has proved the improbability of deleterious exhalations from this plant being the cause of the unpleasant sensations experienced at great elevations, inasmuch as it is only found much below where these are experienced. But as it is a root of such virulent powers, it has no doubt been frequently employed as a poison, and its sale was therefore prohibited by the native powers in India. Notwithstanding this, the Hindoo physicians, noted for the employment of powerful drugs such as arsenic, nux vomica, and croton, do not hesitate to employ this also in medicine. In the Taleef-Shereef it is directed never to be given alone ; but mixed with several other drugs, it is recommended in a variety of diseases, as cholera, intermittent fever, rheumatism, tooth-ache, and bites of snakes. It is also used as an external application in rheumatism in the north-western provinces. Mr. Pereira's experiments have shown that this root, either in the form of powder, watery extract, or spirituous extract, is a most virulent poison: but of these forms the last is by far the most powerful. "The effects were tried by introducing this extract into the jugular vein, by placing it in the cavity of the peritoneum, by applying it to the cellular tissue of the back, and by introducing it into the stomach. In all these cases, except the last, the effects were very similar ; namely, difficulty of breathing, weakuess, and subsequently paralysis, which generally commenced in the posterior extremities, vertigoes, convulsions, dilatation of the pupil, and death, apparently from asphyxia." (v. Wall. Pl. Asiat. Rar. loc. cit.) The Goorkahs endeavoured to protect their country against foreign invasion by poisoning the wells with it, and at one time the Konds were supposed to have had recourse to similar means to protect their country against the British troops. The plant used by the latter for this purpose, is still unknown, though it appears, from the statement of a Medical Officer employed in the first campaign, that the attempt was at first attended with partial success, in as much as several men were suddenly taken ill, who had partaken of the water of a well adjoining their camp, in which, on being dragged, a quantity of an unknown, and supposed poisonous root, considerably decayed, was found. The poisonous plant so employed in that part of the country is still unknown, but I dare say might on inquiry be ascertained.

While thus abounding with acrid and poisonous plants, the order includes a few of a different complexion. Several of its species are regarded as simply astringent: the seeds of Nigella, are pungent like pepper, and are employed in some parts of Europe as such, under the name of Allspice; (not the true English Allspice, which is derived from a very different source) and all the species of Coptis, are simply bitter and tonic. The Mishme teeta of Assam, Coptis teeta Wall, is in high repute among the Assamese, the taste of which is described by Wallich "as intensely and purely bitter, very lasting, and with only a very slight aroma." This plant has been introduced into the Calcutta botanic garden, and at the time the account was written, promised to survive the great change of climate.

To devote more space to an exposition of the properties of extra-indian species of an order so little known in Southern India, would, it appears to me, be out of place in a work, principally devoted to the botany of these regions, I shall therefore conclude my remarks regarding it, with a few observations on some of the genera and species, of this portion of India.

. The number of genera yet found in the Southern provinces of India and Ceylon, amount, so far as I know, to only seven; and of these I feel inclined to consider Adonis a doubtful native. The number of species with which I am acquainted now extends, for both countries, to 16, two new ones having been added to Clematis, and one to Ranunculus, since the publication of my Prodromus. The former are readily distinguished from the previously described, Peninsular, species, by their flowers being fewer and larger sized than those of any of the preceding ones, while in both, the leaves are ternate and simple, in place of pinnate as in them. In addition to these I possess specimens of a third form, but not in flower, closely allied, to C. Wightiana, but so far as my imperfect specimens, of both species, enable me to judge, distinct.