_Ointments._—Animal fats, _e.g._, Lard, which is so generally used in English pharmacy, are apt to become rancid and irritating in hot climates; hence they should be discarded in tropical practice. In India there is another _cogent_ reason for _abandoning them_, viz., _the religious prejudices of the natives_, especially of the Mussulman, to whom hog's fat is _an abomination_. The only allowable animal fat in India is freshly prepared Ghee, or clarified butter; but this in the hotter part of India is of too thin consistence for ordinary ointments. Fortunately India supplies at least two vegetable substitutes, Kokum Butter and Piney Tallow (the expressed Oil of Vateria Indica). In addition to these, I have introduced a third article, Ceromel (a mixture of wax and honey). With these three agents it is believed that animal fats may be altogether dispensed with in Indian pharmacy.
_Native Names._—These have been mainly derived from Mr. Moodeen Sheriff's valuable Catalogue, which forms the Supplement to the Pharmacopœia of India. Some have been drawn from Ainslie's _Materia Indica_, a work of sterling merit. For the Malay names I am indebted to the Hon. Major F. M‘Nair, C.M.G., Surveyor-General, Straits Settlements, and for the Punjábí and Kashmirí names to Dr. J. E. T. Aitchison, formerly British Commissioner, Ladakh.
It is only necessary, in this place, to indicate the pronunciation of the vowels met with in this work.
a (short) as in _a_bout, or the final _a_ in Calcutt_a_. á (long) as in _a_ll, c_a_ll. e (short) as in _e_lbow, or the first _e_ in n_e_ver. é (long) as _a_ in _a_ble or _ai_ in f_ai_r. i (short) as _i_ in _i_nk, b_i_d. í (long) as _ee_ in f_ee_d and fr_ee_. o (short) as in fr_o_m. ó (long) as in _o_pium, h_o_me. u (short) as in f_u_ll, or as in w_o_lf. ú (long) as in f_oo_l, t_oo_.
Explanation of the Abbreviations employed in the lists of the native names of the drugs:
_Hind._ Hindústaní. _Duk._ Dukhní. _Beng._ Bengálí. _Punj._ Punjábí. _Kash._ Kashmirí. _Tam._ Tamil. _Tel._ Telugu. _Mal._ Malyalim. _Can._ Canarese. _Mah._ Máhrattí. _Guz._ Guzrattí. _Cing._ Cingalese. _Burm._ Burmese. _Malay_ Malay.
REMARKS ON THE USES OF SOME OF THE BAZAAR MEDICINES OF INDIA.