187 Pushanbedh پاشان بيدة.—A. Jeuntiana. Its oil is equally beneficial, as that before recommended for strengthening particular organs. This and the Jeuntian are of a very different appearance, they are either distinct plants, or have become different from peculiarity of soil or cultivation. It is a root of a dirty-red color, or when broken, of a bright red; in figure a little crooked. It is cool and laxative; it is lithontriptic, cures seminal weakness, and gonorrhœa. My late uncle used half of this, and half Mendhi, as an application to the inside of the hands and soles of the feet of women laboring under immoderate flow of the menses, and equal benefit was derived, as is usually done from the Mendhi. In the Maadentezerrabad, it is called cool and dry, removing flatulence, bile, thirst, heat, dysuria, gravel, contraction of the urethra, and difficult menstruation.
For the cure of the above-mentioned complaints, it is to be given in water; but for seminal weakness, gonorrhœa, dysuria, &c. it is to be taken in goat’s milk. The dose is six mashas. It grows in stony places.
188 Buckree بكرى, or Chèrie, q. vide
189 Becktindeek بكتنديک.—A kind of Teindoo, q. vide
190 Palass پلاس.—Butea Frondosa. A very common tree, called also Pullae; it is a large forest tree, which in season loses its leaves and throws out flowers of an orange or fire color; its leaves are oval; their breadth about 3 or 4 inches; it is hot, laxative, and stomachic; used in boils, eruptions, Badqola, gravel, piles, worms, and broken bones. It is written, that when the white flowers of the Daak are found, and any one shall eat the seeds and the bark of them, their hearts will be cleansed, their understanding increased, and they shall then ever be endowed with supernatural knowledge; it may be advisable to eat moong ka dall along with it. Its flowers are called Tesoo; they are astringent, curing disorders of mucus, bile, blood, and difficulty in making water. If a decoction is prepared from the flowers, and poured warm from a height on the parts, it will be found useful in pains of the kidneys, bladder, and in suppression of urine. It is diuretic, and if given with medicines of that class, it will add greatly to their efficacy. The flowers are excellent as a fomentation in pains; also hydrocele and schirrous swellings of the testicle may be greatly benefitted by it. The seeds called Palass papra, are hot and light; they cure seminal weakness, piles, worms, and disorders of wind and mucus. In the Maadentezerrabad, “Palass papra is said to be like the seed of the Amultas, round, broad, and thin, of a dark-brown color; its kernel white, or yellowish, and perfectly insipid: it is oleaginous, and smells when chewed.” In my opinion, it is useful in phlegm, and the root is beneficial in cholic. The nurses of Hindoostan put one seed into the mixture, which they exhibit after parturition, with much benefit, as it is cardiac. The capsule when whole is also used in decoction. The dose to an adult is four or five seeds, but beyond that, the opinion of the physician is necessary. I have used the bark of the seed and the capsule made into pills, with great success, when mixed with Goor.
191 Belaikund بلائى كند.—“Maadentezerrabad.” A medicine of India, also called Pullai seed, or Kaika; a seed red, round, and about the size of a pice, but thinner: it is light as a leaf, and is hot, and dry in the third degree. Applied to blisters on the tongue, to boils, or other eruptions; it removes the bad skin, and cleanses the parts below. It is purgative; removes wind, and every complaint of mucus, cold, or itch; its corrector is ghee, or butter, and its succedaneum Koonush. The dose is three and a half masha, or 12 grains.
192 Palass Peepul پلاس پيپل.—Hibiscus Populneoides, (Roxb.) A large tree, of the Peepul kind; its leaves and fruit large, moist and aphrodisiac; producing phlegm and worms.
193 Pulwull پل ول.—Trichosanthes Diœca, (Roxb.) A culinary vegetable, of the cucumber kind, oval in its shape; the plant low, and creeping, like the Kanoorie or Cutcherie; they sometimes sow it with the Paan. It is eaten either (when boiled) by itself, or dressed with meat; it is hot and moist; promotes digestion; and strengthens the stomach and powers of virility; creates appetite; cures cough and disorders of the blood, and lessens the other three secretions. It is also beneficial in fevers, boils, and eruptions. It is vermifuge; its leaves are cooling, and cure disorders. Its branches remove superabundance of phlegm, and its root is pungent and aperient, strengthening the stomach. Equal in its degree. Again, it is said to be a fruit eaten by the people of India, sown and cultivated with the Paan, because it delights in shady places. Useful in fever, piles, and mental debility; it is aperient and promotes digestion; and some say, an antidote to poison.
194 Billie بلى.—The Cat; its meat is sweet, hot, and moist: of use in mucous and flatulent disorders.
195 Billoousseeke بلوسيك.—Astringent; removes disorders of wind, phlegm, cholick, or other pain of the bowels. The Bale which bears no fruit, is called by this name.