Malay materia medica / by H. N. Ridley.

  • Ridley, H. N. (Henry Nicholas), 1855-1956
Date:
[1897?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Malay materia medica / by H. N. Ridley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and a piece of wood which has been struck by lightning. 'I'he disease is supposed to be due to the influence of devils which are, by these means, driven away. Chewing betel-nut while reciting certain passages of the Koran and then spitting on the head of the patient is believed to have a marvellous effect in curing fevers and other ailments. P'orms of hypnotism are, I believe, used by the regular wizards, but I have not been able to properly investigate this. Actual cautery is sometimes though rarely used and in the follow- ing manner for wounds, especially punctured ones :—A bit of wick or rag is dipped in coco-nut oil and lit, and the oil allowed to drop into the wound. I have seen a bad bamboo puncture which resi.sted all ordinary treatment heal up very speedily after this painful operation. I have classified the drugs according to their uses but it must be remembered that a Malay medicine rarely consists of a single drug, and one celebrated medicine contains a hundred different ingre- dients. Aperients. The common aperients in use are :— Castor oil (), purging nuts [JaraJi Blanda), croton oil, aloes and senna leaves, [Sena Makki). This latter has a great reputation for all kinds of sickness especially as it comes from Mecca, and, consequently, has a semi-religious value attached to it. The leaves are ground to powder, and sifted and the weight of three drachms is a dose. The long nutmeg ( Myristica fatua L ) imported here in consi- derable quantity, is also used as a purgative, the seeds pounded and given alone or in combination with senna. The seed of Castanopsis, a large one-seeded chestnut, given in small quantities, produces flatulence, a whole nut is purgative. Portulaca oleracea, L., ( Gelang Pasir) a common succulent weed used as a vegetable and commonly collected and sold for that purpose, combined with an aromatic little herb Brimi Lhnnophila villosa, Benth, is said also to be aperient. Astringents. The Malay suffers much from dysentery and diarrhoea,.often due to the reckless way he gorges on unripe fruits, so that diarrhcea and dysentery medicines are in much request, and a great number are reputed valuable. Most of these are astringent, and probably contain tannin. '1 he most important are the following ;— Carapa Moluccana, Gaertn., Nireh bark. The bark of an abund- ant mangrove swamp tree. The best method of using this is to boil the bark for two hours in a copper-pan, then, after straining, to continue boiling till the decoction becomes thick, and then dry off by slow heat. It forms a crystalline mass of a deep brown colour, soluble in water and spirits of wine. This should be dissolved in spirits and two tea-