OCR Text |
Show 12 a LONG-ROOTED TURMERIC. Neumann got from 960 parts, 320 watery and afterwards 50 alcoholic extract, and inversely 150 alcoholic and 210 watery. MEDICAL USES. Turmeric, when taken internally, tinges the urine of a deep yellow colour, and acts as a gentle stimulant. It has been celebrated in diseases of the liver, jaundice, cachexy, dropsy, intermittent fevers, &c, But its internal use in this countryis almost confined to its being a principal ingredient in the composition of curry-powder, in which formit is used in immense quantities in the East Indies. It is also a most valuable dye, and an excellent chemical test of the presence of uncombinedalkalies ; for the yellowcolourof turmeric is changed by themto a reddish brown, It possesses rather a fragrant odour, is slightly bitterish, and excites a moderate degree of warmth in the mouth, imparting to the saliva a yellowtinge. ea It is used in the East as a condiment to food, and employed byus chiefly in cookeryfor colouring of puddings, It is employed also in dyeing a fine yellow. The doseof this root is from a scruple to adrachmin substance, Froman ignorant suspicion that the Jaundice was to be cured by whatever produced a yellow colour, that is, I suspect, seeing EUROPEAN OLIVE. OLEA EUROPA. the bile diffused into the habit, from obstruction of the passage of the gall-duct, these yellow remedies were used to supply its place, just as the yolks of eggs are usedin the same complaint ; nor whenbracers orstimulants can we object to these popular Class 11. Diandria. Order I. Monogynia. Essent. Gen. Cuar. Corolla four-cleft, segments subovate: Drupe oneseeded. Spec. Cuar. Leaves lanceolate, very entire: Racemes axillary, contracted. remedies, As a cordial, aromatic, mild bitter, the Turmeric has often roused the torpid actions of the prime vie, and removed the obstruction when arising from spasm ; and as rhubarb was at the same time commonly used, this carried off the slime, another common cause of obstruction, and also of spasm; and where the eggs were eaten rawas a nutritious strengthener, these, toeether often often swith with the gether the saliron saffron ; tea, xg cured ired slight slic : in cases of jaune dice, especially) in children ; and therefore I ¢ annot consent, with Dr. Cullen and Dr. W Oodville, to the discarding this mild sto. ie alte vthay "OM AMonc altogeth er from } amo ngst the clay’ of remeadi dies ss only slender virtue. 8, although 62 DESCRIPTION. Tus is an evergreen, with oblong, narrow, willow-like leaves, and monopetalous whitish flowers, cut into four sections, or segments, followed by a cluster of oval black fruit, containing under a fleshy pulp a hard rough stone. winters of our climate. It bears the ordinary \ HISTORY. The olive tree is a native of the south of Europe and north of Africa. It is cultivated in France, Spain, and Italy, for the sake of its fruit, and the oil expressed from it. Olives, when fresh, have an acrid, bitter, and extremely disagreeable taste ; |