621 Sembill.--"Bombax Heptaphyllum. Silk-cotton Tree." A large tree
of India; its leaves like the Jamin, but broader and more long, about
half the breadth of the peepul and twice the length; in thickness,
color, and mark, the same. Its flowers resemble the Bukaen when small,
but when more advanced, it becomes more like the goolur, and when full
grown, the flowers are as large as a large lime. It then spreads and
becomes red; after this it again closes; the flower then falls, and
leaves the seed vessel. The capsule is twice as large as that of the
Mudar, and when ripe, is filled with cotton. I have ate of the flower
when at its middle growth, and found it pleasant to the taste, but it
produces flatulence. It is cool and aphrodisiac; induces corpulence;
is astringent, and cures boils and eruptions, Juzam, and disorders
of the blood and bile: some call its gum Moocherus, the author of
the Topha for instance; but Moocherus is the gum or flower of the
Phoopul tree. In the opinion of the physicians of India, the Sembill
is a powerful medicine as an aphrodisiac. If the juice of the root
be made into sherbet with equal part of sugar, it will increase age
by restoring the vital energy, increase understanding and semen;
the larger and older the tree, and the thicker the root, the greater
its strength as a medicine. The small roots are cut into slices,
dried on a rope, and sold; in this state, it resembles Bhamun Soorkh.
Ascetics have said, that the perpendicular root of a large full
grown Sembill tree, cut in pieces, dried and reduced to a powder
is powerfully aphrodisiac, in the quantity of 4 direms daily. I
have taken this powder to the quantity of one tolah with sugar, and
have also prescribed it with advantage; it strengthens the stomach,
and is gently laxative. If given with honey, I conceive that its
virtues will be increased. The author of the celebrated work Ahmed
Ben Shirazee has told the following story, which I shall relate as
nearly as may be in his own words. "I was," says he, "on a journey,
when coming to a village in India, and being very thirsty, I met an
old man from whom I requested water to drink; I observed that this old
man had a peculiarly healthy appearance, and seemed plump and stout;
he had a young woman with him, whom he sent to his house for water,
and who brought it me to drink. I then asked him whether that young
girl was his daughter; he laughing answered that she was his wife,
and that he had three others equally young. I was somewhat surprised
at this, and asked him if this was not too many for him; he replied
no! More and more astonished, I asked him if this was really the case;
he avowed it to be so. I then questioned him how he came to be endowed
with so much strength, and how old he was; he told me that his age
was 110 years, and related the following facts: That when 50 years'
old he had already become aged and feeble, and was so much decayed in
constitution, that he seldom rose from his bed, and when he did so,
was obliged to support himself on a crutch. That a fakeer passing that
way observed his feeble state, and feeling compassion for his helpless
situation, asked him what ailed him: he replied, nothing; but that old
age had come upon him. The fakeer then gave him a medicine which he
had taken ever since, with an injunction to abstain from all acids:
this he had done, and that the effect was such as I saw. He likewise
told me that he had a son nearly 80 years of age, who had also used
the fakeer's prescription, and who was much stouter and more healthy
in every respect than he.
"Astonished at this relation, I procured the receipt, and thus hand
it down to posterity.
"Take the white roots of a full grown, healthy Sembill tree, which
is soft; cut them in pieces, dry them in the shade, and reduce them
to a powder: sift it very fine, with equal parts of sugar, and over
the fire, form it into an electuary: of this 5 direms are to be eaten
daily, and no acid to be used.
"To this the old man swore, and brought his son and introduced him to
me to prove the truth of his story. The son corroborated the assertion
of his father, and added that he had ate the remedy only two years,
when he became as he then was; certain it is, he had not a grey hair
in his head."
622 Semb.--also SÈme. A common creeper; its leaves very green and
small, broad in the centre and pointed: a smaller leaf rising from
the same part of the stem; its flower is small and of a yellowish
color. Its seed is like the pistachio nut, but more broad and longer
in some degree, like the stone of the tamarind; it is called B·kl·
Hindui; it is cool, astringent, flatulent, and from its astringency
strengthens the stomach; is aphrodisiac; cures bilious disorders;
increases mucus, and the Hindoos have recommended it for the cure of
wind; but in this I do not concur, as it is rather apt to produce
wind; they are however in the habit of recommending all medicines
that procure a discharge of flatus. One kind is called Golesemb,
also called Krishnphilla; its seed is larger and longer than the one
now described; it is hot, and cures disorders of wind, bile, and mucus.
623 Sehoond.--A prickly plant, growing wild. A. Zakoom. It is so
called, but the seed of the Zakoom is said to be like the Hurr,
whereas the Sehoond has no seed; it is pungent, heavy, laxative;
increases appetite, cures dropsy; is an antidote to poison, useful in
affections of the spleen, Juzam, idiotism, marasmus, and itchiness
of the bowels, flatulent swellings, badgola, swellings in general,
and is lithontriptic. The best kind is red or of a rose color; its
milk is also red, but if put on a cloth it becomes white. All kinds
of it are used in transmutation of metals. There are several kinds in
use for various purposes, the juice is an ingredient in many formulÊ.
624 Sisoo or Sishum, and another kind called Rusispa. It is a very
common tree of Hindostan, large like the Jamin, and its wood is durable
and excellent; it is not readily attacked by insects nor liable to
decay. If cut down when the moon is in the wane, no insect will ever
touch it; its leaves are small and round, a little inclining to oval,
with very little point, like the leaf of the Semb. Its seed-vessel
is light, and contains only two or three seeds; it is about half an
inch long; both kinds of the tree are hot, and reduce corpulency. It
also causes abortions; cures Juzam and white leprosy; is vermifuge;
removes pains in the urinary bladder; useful in boils, eruptions, heat
of body, disorders of the blood and mucus, and allays vomiting. It is
particularly useful in disorders of the blood and cuticular eruptions;
this is a favorite wood among Europeans. It is also useful in Lues
Venerea, and is thus used: one and half masha of the filings of the
centre or dark-colored wood is boiled in 3/4 pound of water, till
only one-half shall remain, then strain and drink with the following
plain sherbet: the same quantity repeated in the evening, and every
five or six days. The sherbet of Morukub mixed or drank with it. This
must be repeated for 14, or 21, or 40 days.
Receipt for the plain Sherbet.
Filings of the wood, a pound, infused in 12 lbs. of river water,
for 24 hours, then boiled, and when half is evaporated, strain and
add to it 3 rittals of sugar (23 ounces), and preserve for use. Six
tolahs to be taken morning and evening, with the decoction above
specified. If this is required of additional strength, four tolahs
of Pitpapra is to be added when the decoction is nearly complete.
Receipt for the mixed Sherbet.
When the above sherbet is nearly ready for use, add to it Soorinjan
(Hermodactyls), Irkhir (Camel's hay), each three tolahs and 9 mashas,
separately bruised, strained, and gradually mixed; when fully boiled
add 10 tolahs of senna, and take it from the fire. If this is required
of additional virtue for the cure of foulness of the blood and Lues
Venerea, add four tolahs of the Pitpapra before the others are mixed
with it. Ten tolahs of this in the morning is to be used as before
specified. No food to be used during the cure, except kullia, pillau,
and bread; no acid to be admitted, and no greens of any description,
and the day on which the mixed sherbet is taken, even bread is not
to be eaten. "Dalbergia Sissoo. Roxb."
625 Sial "The Jackal." Its flesh strengthens the system,
increases semen, cures disorders of wind and hectic
fever. A. Ebn··vee. P. Sheghal.
626 Sendhi.--The juice of the date tree; this is less powerful than
the tarrie; it is flatulent and aperient; induces corpulency, and
is aphrodisiac.