226 Ponda.--Saccharum Officinarum, (Sugar-cane). Sweet, cool, moist,
heavy, and aphrodisiac; strengthening the system; enlivening the flow
of animal spirits; beneficial in bilious disorders, and is diuretic. It
increases the secretion of mucus, and breeds worms in the intestines.
That which is of a red color, is cool and heavy, and allays general
heat; useful in disorders of bile and blood: remedies suppression
of urine. The black Sugar-cane is in its properties like that which
is white. The very best is cool and moist, aphrodisiac, laxative,
and increases mucus.
227 Bole.--"Myrrha." A name for myrrh; cool, increases knowledge;
creates appetite; improves a relish for food; cleanses the uterus;
beneficial in disorders of the blood and bile, and in Juzam.
228 Podeena.--"Mentha Sativa, W. Mentha Crissa, Murray, ii. 178,
Mentha viridis, Woodville, iii. 463." Arabic, Nana. It is hot and
dry; promotes digestion; allays vomiting from phlegm; is vermifuge,
peculiarly aphrodisiac; increases eye-sight, and is astringent.
229 Phalisae or Ph·lsa.--The fruit of a tree of Hindoostan, of two
kinds. One sweet, the other acid; the first is called Shukurie, the
second Sherbuttee. The tree of one is small, not above a yard high. The
other is as large as a mulberry tree. The fruit of the acid kind is the
largest; its leaves large, round, and partially indented. The fruit
is at first green, and astringent; when nearly ripe it is rich, and
when it arrives at maturity it assumes a dark-purple color; when red,
it is very acid; and when purple, of a sweetish acidity. The fruit is
like the nightshade berry, or even larger. It is very grateful to the
taste, and beneficial in disorders arising from a redundance of bile
and blood; loosens phlegm, and is less prejudicial than any other acid
fruits. It is also astringent; allays thirst; strengthens the stomach
and system. Its sherbet is excellent in strengthening the circulation,
and removing depression of spirits in heat, fever, and giving tone
to the stomach. It is also recommended in many other disorders. Its
sherbet is a corrector of the mogane. If 48 grains of the bark of the
root of the sweet Ph·lsa be infused for a night in water, and then
rubbed and strained, the infusion forms an excellent remedy in ardor
urinÊ and gonorrhoea; yet the sweet kind is less cooling than the
acid species, though I have found the former the most effectual in
giving strength to the circulation and to the stomach. The expressed
juice of the Ph·lsa in water, boiled, is used as a condiment.
230 Bhangra.--Eclipta, or Verbesina Prostrata. A small creeping plant;
its flowers very minute. Some of them white, others of a dark color;
the leaves small, in branches and leaves resembling the mint. Another
species is called Kookur Bhangra; the plant of which is high, long,
and large. It is found at the bottom of old walls. It is bitter,
hot, pungent, and dry; cleanses the skin; cures affections of wind,
phlegm, complaints of the eyes, pains in the head and Juzam. It forms
an ingredient in many famous formulÊ. If it be dug up by the roots on a
Sunday, and dried in the shade; washed seven times in the Bale sherbet,
and as often dried in the shade; and as much as may be contained in
the palm of the hand, be eaten daily by those afflicted with white
leprosy and Juzam, the disorders will be removed. The seed bruised
with black Till and sugar, and eaten, will strengthen the senses of
hearing and seeing, and will promote longevity. If during the four
rainy months, the Bhangra be used with the hurrha, bhaera, and anula,
in equal parts, and a fourth part of peepul, every disorder will be
removed, and the hair will become black.
In the Maadentezerrabad, it is said, that Bhangra is a shrub, like
the Anjedan, but somewhat larger, of a purple or reddish color;
disagreeable to the taste; hot, and dry. Of this there are three
kinds: a yellow, green, and black; it improves the eye-sight, is
beneficial in phlegm and swellings, white leprosy, Juzam, burns,
and black spots in the face. Recent writers have said much of the
virtues of the black kind; its seed is in its properties equal;
beneficial in disorders of wind, phlegm, foulness of blood, blisters,
and difficulty of breathing. If for 50 days nine masha be pounded,
bruised, and taken in water, the hair will not become white. If the
plant (black) be dried in the shade, and six masha be taken for two
months, it will blacken the hair. It is the best external application
for colouring the hair.--See Singia.
231 Phirrhud.--The name of a tree in India. Vermifuge; it cures
flatulency, disorders of mucus and blood. An antidote to poisons;
induces corpulency, and remedies seminal weakness.
232 Bhoje Puttur, called also Burje Puttur, (the birch bark.)--A
tree common in Cashmere; the bark of which may be separated into
numerous layers, like the talc, and each layer resembles paper.--The
layers are variegated, and colored with straight lines; white and
red. The Cashmerians use it as paper; in its medical properties,
it is beneficial in disorders of phlegm, bile, and blood; ear-ache,
and possession by evil spirits. In India it is used for making hookah
snakes; and if clothes be lined with it, it will prevent them from
being stained with perspiration. In Persian, it is called Tooze.
233 Bhoum amulek.--The anula tree, without the principal root; it
is bitter and astringent, cool, and producing flatulence; it allays
thirst, cough, disorders of bile, blood, and phlegm; it cures marasmus,
and is useful in hurts.
234 Phoje.--Cool and heavy, astringent and useful in bilious eruptions,
and disorders from phlegm.
235 Pockurmool.--A root; bitter, pungent, hot and stomachic; useful
in disorders of wind and phlegm, in fevers, swellings, difficulty of
breathing, and in affections of the liver.
236 Bharingee.--The bark of a tree in the hills; bitter, pungent,
hot, and dry; promotes appetite; remedies disorders of indigestion,
swellings, cough, disorders of wind, phlegm, difficulty of breathing,
fever, and pains in the uterus.