Sans.

Kushmanda. Vern. Kumrd, Beng. Petha, Hind.

The large fruit or gourd of Benincasa cerifera is eaten by the natives in their curries, and is extensively cultivated all over India. It is considered tonic, nutritive and diuretic, and a specific for haemoptysis and other haemorrrhages from internal organs. It would appear that the older Sanskrit writers were not acquainted with its peculiar action on the circulatory system by which it rapidly puts a check to haemorrhage from the lungs. The Raja Nir-ghantn, the oldest work on therapeutics, gives a long account of its virtues, but does not allude to its use in phthisis or haemoptysis. Neither does Susruta mention it in his chapters on the treatment of haemorrhage and phthisis, though the plant is alluded to by him elsewhere. The more recent compilations, such as Chakradatta Sangraha, Sarangadhara etc. give numerous preparations of the article and detail its uses.

Khanda kushmάndaka,1or confection of squash. In preparing this medicine, old ripe gourds are selected. Those not at least a year old, are not approved. They are longitudinally divided into two halves and the pulp scraped out in thin flakes by an iron comb or scratcher. The watery juice that oozes out abundantly during this process is preserved, the seeds being rejected. The pulp is boiled in the above mentioned juice, till softened. It is then tied up tightly in a cloth, and the fluid portion allowed to strain through it. The softened and drained pulp is dried in the sun and the watery portion preserved for future use. Fifty tolas of the prepared pulp are fried in sixteen tolas of clarified butter, and again boiled, in the juice of the fruit, till reduced to the consistence of honey. To this are added fifty tolas of refined sugar, and the whole is heated over a gentle fire, till the mass assumes such a consistence as to adhere to the ladle. The pot is now removed from the fire, and the following substances, namely, long pepper and ginger, each two tolas, cumin seeds, cardamoms,cinnamon, leaves called tejapatra, black pepper and coriander, each half a tola in fine powder, are aded to the syrup and stirred briskly with a ladle, till the mass is cool. Eight tolas of honey are now added to the confection which is preserved in a new earthen pot. The dose of this medicine is from one to two tolas, according to the age and strength of the patient. It is useful in haemoptysis, phthisis, marasmus, cough, asthma, ulceration of the lungs, hoarseness, etc.

Vάsά kushmάnda khanda.1 Take of the root of Justicia Adhatoda (vasaka), one seer, water eight seers; boil together till reduced to one-fourth and strain. Then take of the pulp of Benincasa cerifera prepared as above described, fifty tolάs; fry it in thirty-two tolas of clarified butter, and boil in the decoction of vasaka till the whole is reduced to the consistence of honey. Add to it sugar, one hundred tolas, and apply heat till the mass thickens to the proper consistence. Remove from the fire, add the following substances in fine powder, namely, tubers of Cyperus rotundas, {mustaka), dried emblic myrobalan, bamboo manna, root of Clero-dendron Siphonanthus (brahmayasti), a fragrant substance called elabάluka, cinnamon, cardamom, tejapatra, each quarter of a told, ginger, coriander, and black pepper each one tola, long pepper four tolas, stir well till the confection cools, and lastly add eight tolas of honey. This preparation is used in cough, asthma, phthisis, haemoptysis, heart disease, and catarrh.

In insanity, epilepsy and other nervous diseases, the fresh juice of the squash is given either with sugar or as an adjunct to other medicines for these diseases. A ghrita for use in these diseases is also prepared as follows.

Kushmάndaka ghrita.1 Take of the juice of Benincasa cerifera eighteen seers, clarified butter, one seer, liquorice root beaten into a paste with water, quarter of a seer. Boil them together and prepare a ghrita in the usual way. Dose, one to two tolas.