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2 diuretic and aphrodisiac properties. They believe that the
3 cultivated is more effective than the wild plant.
4 Asparag. H a l i o o n semina (I.) Vomiting.
5 Asparagus sarmentosus — is a product of East India, used
6 by the native doctors only.
7 Asparag. sarm. (I.)
8 Asphaltum Persicum. Mumiai Persica — is a certain specific
9 in fractured bones, deserving the name of Osteocolla. It is a
10 solid, hard, heavy, black, glistening mass, without any particular
11 odor. Only the genuine possesses the peculiar properties, and
12 is but seldom to be met with even in Persia itself, the place of
13 its origin ; for the King of Persia is reported to collect the whole
14 product, yearly, and to inclose it in small silver boxes, which are
15 distributed as presents to his family, friends, etc. In all Eastern
16 bazaars may be found, under the name of Persian Mumiai , a com-
17 pound resembling the genuine in appearance. Professor R. Selig-
18 mann, of Vienna, published a Pamphlet, as a Supplement to the
19 Oriental Materia Medica, containing extracts from three rare
20 Persian manuscripts, giving information respecting this point,
21 which information coincides with what I heard in Persia. For
22 the gratification of the reader, I here present an extract from
23 Dr. Seligmann’s pamphlet — Mum in Persian signifies wax. Jai or
24 A jin is the name of the village in the vicinity of which the
25 Spring of water containing Mumiai or Mumiajin is found.
26 The Mumiai was discovered in the time of Feridun, and in the
27 following manner. On one of King Feridun’s hunting parties,
28 one of his attendants shot a Gazelle with an arrow, but it escaped
29 in the darkness of the night, passing into a cavity of the rock,
30 where it drank from that Spring and was healed ; but, before it
31 was perfectly healed or had left that place, it was accidentally
32 discovered by some of the villagers, secured, and brought to
33 King Feridun, to whom they communicated the particulars.
34 Feridun demanded of his doctors the cause of the cure and
35 ordered an investigation into the matter. They broke a foot of
36 the animal, put a bandage on, and gave it of that same water to