Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 1).djvu/273

Rh are used as a soothing and effective application for conjunctivitis of infants (Dr. Thompson in Watt's Dictionary).

The cotton is a very useful external remedy in burns, scalds, and some other surgical diseases. The seeds exercise some good influence over gonorrhœa, gleet, chronic cystitis, consumption and some catarrhal affections. The fresh young capsules and shoots have been observed to produce good effects in some cases of dysentery and gonorrhœa. The control of the seeds over gonorrhœa and gleet is more manifest when combined with some other drugs, a prescription for which is given below.

Take of the cotton seeds, from two to four drachms ; fruit of Cuminum cyminum (cumin seeds), from one and a half to three drachms ; fruit of Pimpinella Anisum, (anise seed), from one to two drachms ; and the silicious concretion of Bambusa arundinacea (tabshir), from fifteen to thirty grains. Bruise and rub all these ingredients well in a stone mortar, with three or four ounces of water and pass the liquid through cloth. This draught is to be used four or five times in the twenty-four hours, according to the severity of the symptoms (Moodeen Sheriff).

Vern. :— Polâ, pûlâ, pulipatha, potari, choupultea (H.) ; Baranga, bhotti. (C.P.) Kûbinde (Nepal.) ; Potri, pandini, podda, kunji (Tel.); Boldobak (Garo) ; Vâranga, varangada, warung, moti, potârî (Bomb.) ; bittia gonyer, pata dhamin (Kol) ; Poshka olat, (Santal.) ; Derki (Karwar) ; sedangtaglar (Lepcha) ; kopâsia (Uirya) ; Pulli, pûla, polâ (Pb.) ; Bendi, bende-naru, bellaka (Kan.) ; Buruk, bosha, kunji (Gond.) nihoty Lirwani (Guj.).

Habitat :— Tropical regions of the Himalaya, from Kumaon eastward, and throughout the Western ghats. Dun and Saharanpur gardens. Burma.

A moderate-sized, deciduous tree or large shrub. Bark grey, exfoliating in large strips, rough, with large white specks on