Anblí (Hind.), Amlí, Amlí-ká-bót (Duk.), Imlí (Punj.), Tamar-i-hind (Kash.), Téntúul, Tintúrí, Ámlí (Beng.), Puliyam-pazham (Tam., Mal.), Chinta-pandu (Tel.), Chinch (Mah.), Hunashí-hannu (Can.), Ámblí (Guz.), Siyambula (Cing.), Magi (Burm.), Assam-java (Malay).
346. The pulp of the fruit, of a reddish-brown colour and acid saccharine taste, is laxative and refrigerant, and made into sherbet with water or milk (in the proportion of one ounce of the pulp to one pint of fluid) forms an agreeable and useful drink in Febrile and Inflammatory Affections. The only objection to it in some cases is (in others this is an advantage) that it is apt to act on the bowels as a laxative. In the absence of limes or lemons, Tamarind pulp may be given with great advantage in Scurvy, both as a preventive and as a curative, but it requires to be discontinued if it cause griping and diarrhœa; otherwise it is a valuable antiscorbutic, and as such may be taken on board ship, or form a portion of daily rations in jails, &c.
347.
Telini Fly, Mylabris Cichorii.
(Fabr.).
Télní, Télní-makkhí (Hind.), Zírangí, Bad-bó-kí-zírangí (Duk.), Pinsttarin-í (Tam.), Ígelu (Tel.).
348. This insect is of common occurrence throughout India; it has the following characters: About an inch in length and the third of an inch broad; the elytra, or wing-cases, of an obscure yellow, with three large somewhat zigzag transverse black bands; the first band is interrupted and sometimes reduced to three or four spots. There are met with in various parts of India other allied species, which differ more or less from the above description, but they all partake of the same irritant and vesicant properties, the active principle being the same with that of the officinal Cantharides, viz., Cantharidine. It is apparently a complete substitute for the European article as a vesicant, provided that due care is taken in its preparation, &c. The best season for collecting the insects is just previous to the setting in of the monsoon, in the early morning or evening; they should be killed by the steam of boiling vinegar, thoroughly dried in the sun, and preserved in well stoppered bottles.
349. Its principal use is as a blistering agent, and for this purpose it is used in the form of plaster, prepared as follows: Take Telini Fly, finely powdered; White or Black Dammar, Bees-wax, and Suet (mutton or goat), of each two ounces; liquefy the three latter with a gentle heat, then remove from the fire and sprinkle in the Telini; mix the whole thoroughly, and continue to stir the mixture while it is allowed to cool.
In consequence of the difficulty of preparing this, and the uncertainty of its strength, I would advise that every establishment should be provided with a supply of officinal Blistering Liquid of the British Pharmacopœia; this only requires to be applied for two or three minutes with a camel's-hair brush, allowed to dry on, and then covered with a warm rice poultice; in the course of a few hours the blister will be found to have risen. The Liquid prepared in India from the Telini Fly is quite equal in power to the European article prepared with Cantharides or Spanish Fly.
350. Remarks on the Use of Blisters.—Blisters are of great value in many cases, but unless used with care and discrimination they may do more harm than good. Thus, a blister applied at the outset or during the acute stage of inflammation will increase the mischief, whereas in the advanced stages its action may prove in the highest degree beneficial. During pregnancy a blister to the chest has been known to induce premature labour, retention of urine, &c., and applied to a person suffering from scurvy it is apt to induce troublesome ulceration. To prevent gangrene, which has occasionally resulted from a blister, especially in children, it is advisable not to allow it to remain on more than ten minutes, then to remove it and apply a warm rice poultice. In infants a thin piece of muslin should be placed between the skin and the plaster. If strangury follow its use, the patient should drink plentifully of decoction of Abelmoschus (2), Rice Conjee (322), or other demulcents, avoiding those of an oleaginous nature. After the fluid has been let out, which is easily done by snipping the raised cuticle in two or three places with a pair of sharp-pointed scissors, the blistered surface should be dressed with plantain-leaf, as directed in paragraph 307a.