226 Ponda پوندا.—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 بول.—“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 پودينا.—“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 پهليساى or Phálsa.—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 Phálsa be infused for a night in water, and then rubbed and strained, the infusion forms an excellent remedy in ardor urinæ and gonorrhœa; 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 Phálsa in water, boiled, is used as a condiment.
230 Bhangra بهانگرا.—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 formulæ. 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 پهرهد.—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 پهوج پتر, 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 بهوم املك.—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.