Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan.
- John Neligan
- Date:
- 1849
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
115/504
![nature of its purgative principle is unknown. By evaporating to dry- ness the juice mixed with lime or with alum, the pigment, sapgreen is obtained. Adulterations.—The berries of the Rhamnus frangula are often substituted for, or mixed with buckthorn berries, they may be detected by having only two seeds. Therapeutical Effects.—The fresh berries or their expressed juice operate as powerful cathartics, producing many watery evacua- tions ; but in consequence of the severity of their operation frequently accompanied by severe tormina, thirst, and distressing nausea, although in former days much vaunted in the treatment of dropsy, they are at present scarcely ever used. Dose and Mode of Administration.—Of the fresh berries, 10 to 20.—Syrupus Rhamni, D. L. E. (Fresh juice of the berries, by measure ftmss. (Oiv., L. E.) ; ginger, sliced ; and pimento, bruised (powdered, L.), of each, 3iij- (3vj. L. E.); let the juice rest (for 3 days, L. E.), that the dregs may subside, and strain. Maoerate for 24 (4, L. E.) hours the pimento and ginger in §x. (Oi. L. E.) of the strained juice, and filter ; boil down the rest of the juice to Ibj. by measure (Oiss. L. E.), and with sugar (Bbiv. L. E.) form the whole into syrup). Dose, f§ss. to f§i. Rheum, D. L. E. [U. S.] Rhubarb ; Root of Rheum palmatum, and Rheum undulatum, D.—Root of Rheum palmatum, L.—Root of an undetermined species of Rheum, E. [The root of Rheum Palmatum and other species of Rheum, U. S.] The exact species of the genus Rheum, from which the different varieties of Rhubarb met with in, commerce are obtained, is as yet unknown. They inhabit the northern regions of Asia, from the shores of the Caspian Sea to the Chinese wall, and are cultivated in most of the countries of Europe. The genus is placed in the Natural family Polygonacea, and in the Linnaean class and order Enneandria Monogynia. Besides the species mentioned in the Pharmacopoeias, the following have been referred to by different authorities as yielding rhubarb of one kind or another; viz.—R- rha- ponticum; R. compactum; R. Emodi; R. Webbianum; R. Sptciforme ; R. Moorcroftianum ; R. crassinervium ; R- leucorrhizum, <SfC> Botanical Characters.—All the species are characterized by having a perennial root, which/'sends up annual root leaves, usually very large, deeply incised and wavy at the edges, generally cordate; a herbaceous flowering stem, from two to four feet high; Flowers small; calyx, petaloid, six-parted, withering. Preparation.—The root is dug up when the plant is five or six years old, washed, scraped, and cut into various sized pieces to facilitate the drying ; the pieces are then pierced, strung upon cords, and dried differently in various localities; sometimes on stone tables heated beneath by ajfire, sometimes in the sunshine, sometimes slowly under sheds by a current of air, while in Tartary, the Moguls are said to hang them about their tents or on the horns of their sheep Physical Properties.—Three varieties of rhubarb are ordinarily met with in British trade, each of which we shall consider separately, viz.—Russian, Chinese or East Indian, and English Rhubarb. 1. Russian Rhubarb ; Turkey Rhubarb ; it is met with in irregular shaped pieces, from an inch to three inches in breadth, roundish, some-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21143602_0115.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
