There are many medicinal plants in Ceylon of great value, which, although made use of by the natives, are either neglected or unknown to the profession in our own country.

One of the wild fruits of the jungle, the wood-apple or wild quince, is very generally used by the natives in attacks of diarrhoea and dysentery in the early stages of the disease; this has been used for some years by English medical men in this island, but with no very satisfactory effect..