Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.15956

c10.15956

ZEDOARY, and ZERUMBET, ss. These are two aromatic roots, once famous in pharmacy and often coupled together. The former is often mentioned in medieval literature. The former is Arabic *jadwār*, the latter Pers. *zarambād*. There seems some doubt about the scientific discrimination of the two. Moodeen Sheriff says that Zedoary (*Curcuma zedoaria*) is sold in most bazars under the name of *anbe-haldī*, whilst *jadwār*, or *zhadwār*, is the bazar name of roots of varieties of non-poisonous aconites. There has been considerable confusion in the nomenclature of these drugs [*see Watt, Econ. Dict. ii. 655, 670*]. Dr. Royle, in his most interesting discourse on the *Antiquity of Hindoo Medicine* (p. 77), transcribes the following prescription of the physician Aetius, in which the name of Zedoary first occurs, along with many other Indian drugs: