“A seed like the mustard; black and aperient, cool and moist, in the 1st degree; is aphrodisiac; strengthens the stomach, removes heat of urine, gonorrhœa, thinness of semen, the secretion of which it thickens and increases. It is astringent, and produces flatulence. Its corrector is sugar; its succed. Sireyara: dose six mashas.”
583 Sungtirra سنگتيرا.—The author of the Ayeen Akberry calls it Sontirra. A fruit of India of great esteem; it is of a yellowish red color, in shape like the apple, but larger. Its rind is fine, soft, and smooth, like the Sylhet orange, which it in all respects much resembles. It is large, sweet, and acid. There are different names for the different kinds of oranges, but this is the largest and best. It is in my opinion cool, cardiac, drying; allays heat and thirst, and prevents the ill effects of wind, loosens phlegm and bile, strengthens the stomach; is very grateful when ate with sugar; and its acid is less hurtful than many others. I have known a man of a bilious temperament, who told me that he always found relief from the use of this orange. The emperor was in the habit of eating it in Pilaus, when sweetened with sugar and rose-water, and thus used, he called it Rahut Jahn. It is thus rendered more cooling and more grateful to the taste. He also ate it when cooled in ice, and found it useful in giving tone to the stomach. The people of India use it with their food. If ate after having been sprinkled with a little salt, its acid will have less effect on the teeth, mouth, and throat; this however, can only be necessary when unripe or not of the best kind. “Many more trivial properties are ascribed to this orange in the original, which would only be waste of time and paper to record.”—Trans. It is said to be hurtful in coughs, and colds.
584 Singhara سنكہارا.—“Trapa natuns.” “Trapa Bispinosa.” A common triangular water-nut, like the hermodactyls; it is the produce of ponds or reservoirs of water. When green and unripe, it is pleasantest to the taste; when ripe, it becomes hard, and when dried, more so; it is much employed in aphrodisiac formulæ. It is sweet, cool, and heavy; cures bilious disorders, and those of blood; removes heat of the body, restrains laxities in the bowels, and increases semen. It is generally liked and universally eaten.
585 Sindoorie سندورى.—A name for Sudá Sohágun.
586 Sunkaholie سنكا هولى.—A small plant, with very thin branches like common grass; its leaves are very small; it is a creeper on the ground; its flower white and small, and looks very beautiful in the evenings or in moonlight nights. It is astringent, hot, and moist; aperient and aphrodisiac; increases memory, understanding, and perception, and likewise discrimination; cures seminal weakness, and forms an ingredient in all favorite formulæ; cures gonorrhœa; and I have often used the bark of its root as an aphrodisiac and for increasing the consistence of semen. Some have called this Soorch.
587 Sunn سن.—“Crotalaria Juncea.” A plant, the bark of which is used as hemp; it is usually sown around cotton fields. It is of two kinds, the second called Rasni. It is pungent and acid, and its leaves are used as a culinary vegetable; it is cool, heavy, and astringent. Its flower is used as an astringent in lochial discharge.
588 Sunkh سنكة.—A white shell of a very large size; cool, light; strengthens the eye-sight, cures mucous disorders, and those of bile and blood. A. Hulzoom. There is a small kind called Cowrie; if this be burnt and calcined, it will quickly dry up sores by being sprinkled over them.
589 Sebaloo سيبالو.—or Sebalie, or Nindee, see N. Vitex Trifolia.
590 Sindoor سندور.—The red oxide of lead, used externally. “Sindoora, S.” Hot; cures acne and Juzam, and disorders of poison, boils, and eruptions; clears wounds; promotes the junction of broken bones. The ointment of this is very excellent in sores. The receipt is to be found in many other works.
591 Soomboolkhar سنبالخار.—“The white Oxide of Arsenic.” It is white and like alum in color; it ought to be chosen thus: when rubbed on a crow’s feather and put over the fire, if it does not smoke, and the feather becomes white, it is good. A. Toorabalhalik. There are six kinds of this, one named Sunkia, the third Godunta, the fourth Darma, the fifth Huldia; but each will be noticed under its own proper head. The Yunani physicians do not allow this to form a part of their prescriptions, as they believe it destroys the vital principle; and such medicines as are deleterious in their effects, such as opium, they always exhibit with correctors, for this reason such remedies are seldom noticed or used by them. The physicians of India, on the contrary, find these drugs more effectual in many disorders than others of less power, and such the calx of metals. For this reason too, I am in the habit of seldom giving these remedies internally, but I usually confine my use of them to external application, and as aphrodisiacs, which I prescribe to a few friends, who may have derived no benefit from Yunani prescriptions. It is better, however, to use as few of them as possible. The sixth kind is Hurtaal.