ACIDUM GALLICUM-GALLIC ACID.

This principle is found in many of the vegetable astringents, but less uniformly than tannic acid, and is probably the result of changes which the latter has undergone. It is prepared by exposing a mixture of nutgalls in water to the air, when the tannic acid gradually absorbs oxygen and is converted into gallic acid; it is purified by being boiled in water and filtered through animal charcoal. It occurs in small, silky, nearly colourless crystals, having a slightly acid and astringent taste, and is soluble in boiling water, and slightly so in cold water. It is C,H2O.

Effects and Uses.—Gallic acid is a valuable astringent, which has of late been extensively employed in hemorrhagic disorders, as uterine hemorrhage, hemoptysis, hæmaturia, bloody diarrhoea, &c. Both tannic and gallic acids have been found useful in albuminuria. Gallic acid has but feeble local astringent powers, and is probably converted into tannic acid in the blood; though in hemorrhages, it is said to be more efficacious than the latter acid. It may be given in doses of gr. ij to gr. v, in Hacid Sourci pill, every two or three hours. Glycerine

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GALLA-NUTGALL.

Nutgall is a morbid EXCRESCENCE found upon Quercus infectoria, or the Gall Oak (Nat. Ord. Corylacea), a small tree or shrub of Asia Minor. The Gall-nuts are produced by the puncture of the buds by a fly (Cynips quercûsfolii), to form a nidus for its eggs. This occasions an irritation and flow of juices to the part, resulting in the formation of a tumour round the larva, which, on attaining maturity, perforates the gall and escapes. Galls are produced chiefly in Syria and Asia Minor, and are imported from the Levant. They are brought also from Calcutta, being collected to some extent in India. Galls are spherical, about the size of a hickory-nut, but of varying dimensions, with small tubercles on their surface. The best

are bluish or black externally, and grayish within, without odour, and of a very astringent, bitter taste. They yield their properties to both water and alcohol, but best to the former, and contain both tannic and gallic acids. White galls are collected after they have been perforated by the insect, and are inferior in astringency.

Effects and Uses.-Galls are powerfully astringent, but are not much used internally. In the form of infusion or decoction, they are employed as enemata in diarrhoea and dysentery, and also as gargles. Dose of the powder, gr. x to gr. xx. The tincture (four troyounces to diluted alcohol Oij) may be given in the dose of f3j to fɔ̃iij, but it is chiefly used as a chemical test. The ointment (one part to seven parts of lard) is a favourite application in hemorrhoids.

CATECHU.

Catechu, formerly called Terra Japonica, is an EXTRACT of the wood of Acacia Catechu, a small prickly tree of India (Nat. Ord. Fabaceae). Twelve or fifteen varieties of the drug are described by pharmacologists; but it is usually met with in the shops, in masses of various shapes and sizes, of a rustybrown colour externally, and varying internally from a reddish or yellowish-brown to a dark-brown colour. The best is of a dark colour, and is easily broken into small angular fragments, with a smooth glossy surface, bearing some resemblance to kino. It is without smell, and has an astringent, bitter taste. It contains about 50 per cent. of tannic acid (of the variety which strikes a greenish-black precipitate with the salts of iron), and about 30 per cent. of a peculiar extractive, called catechuic acid, to both of which it owes its peculiar properties.

Effects and Uses.-This is one of the most powerful and valuable of the vegetable astringents, possessing also mild tonic properties. It is much employed in diarrhoea, dysentery, hemorrhages, and in all cases of immoderate discharge, unattended with inflammatory action. It is a good deal used in

relaxed conditions of the mouth and throat, to relieve the hoarseness of public speakers, also in aphthous ulcerations of the mouth, and spongy affections of the gums. Topically, it is employed as a styptic, and in solution as an injection in gonorrhoea and gleet, &c. Dose of the powder, gr. x to 3ss, in bolus or emulsion.

INFUSUM CATECHU COMPOSITUM (Compound Infusion of Catechu), is made by adding boiling water (Oj) to powdered catechu (half a troy ounce), and cinnamon (3j)-dose, f3j to fzij, three or four times a day. Of the tincture (three troyounces to diluted alcohol Oij, with cinnamon two troyounces), the dose is fɔ̃j to fɔɔ̃iij.

KINO.

The term Kino is applied to the products of several trees. Five varieties are known. 1. East India kino, which is the most common, and is the INSPISSATED JUICE of Pterocarpus marsupium (Nat. Ord. Fabaceae), a lofty tree of Malabar. 2. African kino, the original variety introduced into Europe, but not now met with; obtained from Pterocarpus erinaceus (Nat. Ord. Fabacea). 3. Jamaica kino, the extract of the wood and bark of Coccoloba uvifera, or Seaside Grape (Nat. Ord. Polygonaceae), a small tree of South America and the West Indies. 4. South America or Caraccas kino, which is probably derived from Coccoloba uvifera. 5. Botany Bay kino, the concrete juice of Eucalyptus resinifera (Nat. Ord. Myrtacea), a large tree of Australia.

East India kino is met with in small, angular, shining fragments, of a dark-brown or reddish-brown colour, brittle, without smell, but with a very astringent taste. It contains tannic acid (of the second variety), kinoic acid (which is the red colouring matter), pectin, ulmic acid, and inorganic salts.

South American kino comes in large masses, externally very dark, and internally of a deep reddish-brown colour.

Jamaica kino is like the last, but contained in large gourds. Effects and Uses.-Kino is a powerful astringent, and is

much used in diarrhoea, chronic dysentery, leucorrhoea, gonorrhoea, hemorrhages, &c. Externally, it is employed as a styptic, and as a stimulant to indolent ulcers. Dose, of the powder gr. x to 3ss; of the tincture (5vj to diluted alcohol, consisting of two measures of alcohol and one measure of water, f3viij), faj or fɔ̃ij may be given, and it is frequently added to chalk mixture in diarrhoea. It spoils by keeping.

KRAMERIA-RHATANY.

Rhatany is the ROOT of Krameria triandra (Nat. Ord. Polygalea), a shrub of Peru. It occurs in woody cylindrical pieces, of the thickness of a goose-quill to twice that size-many radicles being often united to a common head. They have a dark, reddish-brown bark, and a tough central ligneous portion, of a lighter red colour. They are without smell, but have a very astringent, slightly bitter, and sweetish taste, which is much stronger in the cortical than the ligneous portion; and, hence the smallest pieces should be preferred, as they contain the most bark. Rhatany yields a large proportion of tannic acid (of the second variety), and a peculiar acid, termed krameric, both of which probably contribute to its astringency. It imparts its properties to both cold and boiling water, but more fully to alcohol.

Effects and Uses.-Rhatany is powerfully astringent, with some tonic properties. It is much used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, hemorrhages, &c., and as an enema in fissure of the anus, hemorrhoids, leucorrhoea, &c. The powdered extract is an ingredient in many tooth-powders, and the tincture is also used as an astringent mouth-wash. Dose of the powder gr. xx to gr. xxx. But it is more employed in infusion (a troyounce to boiling water Oj), dose, f5j or fij; watery extract, dose gr. x to gr. xx; fluid extract, dose fɔ̃ss-i; tincture (six troy ounces to diluted alcohol Oij), dose fɔ̃j to fɔ̃ij; and syrup (twelve troy ounces percolated with water till four pints of filtered liquor are obtained, which is to be evaporated to seventeen fluidounces, and in this thirty troyounces of sugar

are to be dissolved by gentle heat), dose f3j to f3ss; or the syrup may be made by adding twelve fluidounces of the fluid extract to twenty-four fluidounces of syrup.

HÆMATOXYLON-LOGWOOD.

Logwood, or Campeachy wood, is the HEART-WOOD of Hæmatoxylon Campechianum (Nat. Ord. Fabacea), a medium-sized tree of Campeachy and other maritime parts of tropical America, and now naturalized in the West Indies. The portion used in medicine, and also as a dye, is the heart-wood, from which the bark and white sap-wood are removed, previously to exportation. It is imported in billets of different sizes, of a dark colour externally, and a deep-red internally; in the shops it is kept in chips or raspings. It has a sweetish, astringent, and rather peculiar taste, and a feeble, not unpleasant smell. It contains tannic acid, a colouring principle called hæmatin or hæmatoxylin, volatile oil, resin, &c.

Effects and Uses.—It is a mild astringent, useful in chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, and particularly well adapted to the weakened condition of the bowels, which follows cholera infantum, and is also much employed in the diarrhoea of phthisis. It is given either in decoction (a troyounce to water Oij, boiled down to Oj), in the dose of f5j to fij to adults, and f5j to 5ij to children; or watery extract in the dose of gr. x to 3ss, in solution.

QUERCUS ALBA-WHITE OAK. QUERCUS TINCTORIA

BLACK OАК.

The barks of several species of American oaks possess astringent properties, and are probably to be found in the shops, but the only officinal varieties are Quercus Alba, White Oak, and Quercus Tinctoria, Black Oak (Nat. Ord. Amentaceae). The INNER BARK is the portion used, but the leaves and acorns are also astringent. White Oak Bark is distinguished by its whitish colour. When prepared for use, it is deprived of its epidermis,