Tamarinds  owe  their  grateful  acidity  to
the  presence  of  citric  tartaric  and  other
vegetable  acids.  In  addition  to  their
cooling  qualities  they  act  as  gentle  laxa-
tives, and  are  useful  In  some  forms  of
sore-throat.  The  pulp  mixed  with  salt  la
used  as  a  liniment  In  rheumatism  by  the


Tamarindus  indica  (fruit).
Creoles  of  the  Mauritius.  The  seeds  are  em-
ployed medicinally  by  the  natives  of  Ben-
gal in  dysentery,  and  they  are  also  used
by  the  Cingalese  as  food  in  times  of
scarcity,  the  dark  outer  skin  being  re-
moved by  maceration.  Towdered,  the
seeds  are  employed  as  a  poultice  to  bolls ;
this  powder  also  is  mixed  with  thin  glue
to  form  a  very  strong  cement  for  wood.
The  flowers  of  the  tree  are  used  In  Ceylon
In  cases  of  liver-disease.  Medicinal  virtues
are  also  ascribed  to  the  leaves,  which  are
used  internally  in  jaundice,  and  externally
as  an  application  to  sore  eyes  or  ulcers.
An  infusion  of  the  leaves  is  employed  to
furnish  a  yellow  dye.  In  the  Mauritius  a  de-
coction of  the  bark  is  used  in  asthma,  and
as  a  tonic  and  astringent  in  dysentery.
The  timber  is  valuable  for  building  pur-
poses, and  furnishes  excellent  charcoal  for
the  manufacture  of  gunpowder.  Tama-
rinds form  an  important  ingredient  in
Indian  cookery,  especially  in  curries ;  and
they  are  also  used  in  Western  India  in  pre-
serving or  pickling  flsh,  which  under  the
name  of  tamarind-flsh  is  considered  a  de-
licacy.
It  Is  said  that  no  plants  will  grow  undet
the  shade  of  the  Tamarind- hence  it  Is
considered  unsafe  to  sleep  under  the  trees.
