A manual of pharmacy / by William Thomas Brande.

Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of pharmacy / by William Thomas Brande. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    60/576 (page 44)
    Water and more or less carbonic acid are thus expelled by heat, the degree of which should have been more explicitly directed than we find it under the head “ Calamina pre- parata” in the Pharmacopoeia. Calamine is only used externally, either as a digestive, in the form of Ceratum calamina, or Turner’s cerate,-—-or in powder, to sprinkle upon ulcerating surfaces : it keeps the sore clean by abstracting the secretion, very rarely irritates, and does not otherwise interfere with the healing process: hence it is often a useful application to venereal sores, keep- ing them cleanly, and not interfering with the influence of mercury upon their healing process. CALAMI RADIX—The Hoot of the Acorus Calamus, or Sweet-fag—A plant which thrives abundantly in moist situa- tions over great part of Europe and Asia. The odour of the dried root is agreeably aromatic, and its flavour pungent and warm. Its fracture is short and rough, and internally it is of pale buff colour. When too old it loses its virtue, and is apt to get worm-eaten. Most writers on the Materia Medica say that this root is less prescribed than it should be; but there are so many more agreeable and equally effectual aromatic tonics, that it is nevertheless rarely employed. The infusion, in the proportion of Jj. of the bruised root to 1 pint of water, is the best form of administering it. By distilling the root with water, it affords about 1 per cent of essential oil, not very agreeable in its odour, but used in some articles of perfumery. CALIJMBiE RADIX — Calumha, or Columba Root.— This is the root of an undescribed plant, imported into Europe from Mozambique in bags and cases. It is usually dried in slices, having a thick yellow bark, covered with an olive-coloured cuticle, and surrounding a browner and spongy central portion. It is almost always worm-eaten, but it should be selected as little so as possible, and of a bright colour. It has a strong, bitter, and slightly pungent taste; and its aqueous infusion, which is the usual and best form of ad- ministering it, holds a considerable portion of mucilage, and