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.