in dysentery. Captain 0. Dykes, M. B., Civil Surgeon of Bareilly, reports that with the tincture of the drug in dysentery, his results were " as good but not I think better than those ordinarily obtained in mild eases by the use of sodium and magnesium sulphate." He states that he had no opportunities of comparative trials in unusually severe cases. He is of opinion that in the absence of special advantages over salines owing to the expense of making " Galenical " preparations of madar that the use of this is not indicated. It is not understood what special expense is referred to, as there cannot be much expense in making a tincture of this any more than of any other drug, Captain Dykes promises a further report after renewed experiments with crude preparations of the drug which is readily obtainable at Bareilly. The President of this Committee (Colonel G.F.A. Haris, M.D., F.R.C.P.) used this drug extensively at Ali Masjid 1880 where there were very numerous cases of all degrees of severity of dysentery amongst sepoys of the 16th Lucknow Regiment with which Regiment he then was and when all the store of ipecacuanha had become exhausted. Many notes were kept of cases so treated, and the conclusion arrived at was that in mild cases of dysentery the crude powder of the dried root of the madar (which grew abundantly in the Khyber Pass) certainly appeared to do good, and cases got well on it, but that it was certainly not a specific in all cases and had much the same tendency as Ipecacuanha, to produce vomiting and depression. The evacuations became bilious after madar much the same as they do after ipecacuanha.
Captain W. M. Anderson in Kurram reports that he found it " useful in mild subacute cases of dysentery, but recovery was slow, and it had little or no effect in severe cases." Dr. F. X. de Attaides, Superintendent of Jail, Katha, was very suceessful in one case of acute dysentery with madar and used 15 m. of the tincture four times daily. He also considered it a " good cholagogue, " but it would seem that he is hardly justified in drawing any conclusion either as to its effects in dysentery or as a cholagogue from the results produced in a solitary case.
Again, at page 41 of the Same Report, the following appears : —
Purpose. — To determine the value of Calotropis in dysentery in the place of ipecacuanha. For the purpose two preparations have been made from it, viz., a tincture and a powder. The tincture has been made up according to the recipe of the British Pharmacopoeia.
Dose :— of the tincture ½—1 fluid drachm ; of the powder 5—10 grains.*
Remarks.— The active principle of Calotropis has not been accurately determined, but it is believed to be a yellow bitter substance which makes but a very minute percentage of the plant's tissue.
In native Indian medicine the powdered root-bark of Calotropis inisconsiderable use. There can be no doubt that it is efficient as a drug, but the question before us is, is it as efficient as ipecacuanha for dysentery.
- As an alterative the powder may be used in doses of less than 10 grains ; it is an emetic in doses of 30—60 grains.
