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other cutaneous diseases. An infusion of the leaves is used as a stomachic in the gastric disorders of children, and in hepatic affections. The dried leaves are powdered and employed as a snuff in ozæna. They are also an effectual means of dislodging maggots. The root is given in decoction as a diaphoretic in malarial fevers. The seeds are mucilaginous and demulcent, and are given in disorders of the genito-urinary system. The juice of the leaves dropped into the ear, is said to be a good remedy for ear-ache.

The Mosquito plant — Ocimum viride.

Sir George Bird wood writes to the " Times " under date April 29th 1904 : — " When the Victoria Gardens and Albert Museum were established in Bombay, the men employed on these works were at first so pestered by mosquitos and suffered so much from malarial fever, that on the recommendation of the Hindu kârbâri (" manager "), the whole boundary of the gardens was planted with holy basil and any other basil at hand, on which the plague of mosquitos was at once abated, and fever altogether disappeared from among the resident gardeners and temporarily resident masons. The site of the gardens had ever before been one of the worst malarial-stricken spots on the island of Bombay. No one in those days knew anything of the " mosquito-malaria theory " of to-day. I myself used myrrh as a protection against mosquitos. They never came near any bed in which a little myrrh was burnt or a little tincture of myrrh sprinkled when retiring for the night. I never knew natives who used much cinnamon or cloves, etc., in their daily diet ever take malarial fever or die of cholera."

K. R. Kirtikar's note on Sir George Birdwood's remarks : —

Sir George speaks of the Holy basil. It is the Tulsi plant— the Ocimum sanctum, Linn. Among the "other basils," he speaks of is our Sabjá plant, Ocimum basilicum, Linn. I think, it therefore, to include Sir George's remarks under either O. sanctum or O. basilicum.

OCIMUM VIRIDE Willd., Enum Hort. Berol 629— is from Tropical Africa. See p. 326 Fasc. III. Hooker's Kew Index, 1894.

(1) OCIMUM FEBRIFUGUM Lindl. in Bot. Register Tab 753 is given as a synonym by Hooker in the same Index Kewenses at p. 325 of Ocimum viride.

(2) OCIMUM HOPTODON, BeaUm. Fl. Owar II. 59 to 94 is also a synonym, given by Hooker at the same page.

Vern :— Nazel-nagai (Tam.)

Habitat : — Deccan Peninsula, from the Concan southwards.