12 
for chemical observations and experiments, the failure in the re-. 
sults is to be attributed to. no other cause than this. 
Most of the Calagualas now sold by the druggists of Ma- 
drid, whe are supplied from Cadiz, have no perceptible bitter 
er other taste or smell indicating any virtue ; they are actually 
almost tasteless ; and if a root of some kind be casually found of 
a bitter taste, it is so slight as not to merit the least attention, 
considering the peculiar bitterness of the genuine Calaguala. 
From what I have here stated, it is not to be inferred that I 
aim at excluding from medicine all the roots sold to us for Ca-. 
lagualas, or to maintain that among them there is not any which. 
possesses medicinal virtues ; for it is to be presumed that these do. 
exist in a species which has come into my possession, similar in. 
figure to. the great oruga of the Elm and Ash, and whose roots are. 
from two to three inches long and one inch thick, curved, with. 
small protuberances on the lower parts, and covered on the up-. 
per with the bases of the shoots, disposed in three or four alter- 
nate orders, and of considerable bitterness, but less ieitnees than. 
that of the genuine. 
- My sole object in this Memoir is to remove the dotibits and. 
aidan kick nthicdhs exist on this matter ; to illustrate, by means 
of the subjoi.ed descriptions, an exact definition of the genuine 
Calaguala, and the difference existing between it and the other 
two species; and, lastly, to shew that the opinions, ‘experiments,’ 
and observations on the virtues of the Calagnala, have not been 
well founded, and that most of the investigations have preceeded, 
according to a common expression, blindly, and prejudiced by. 
statements of little or no o certainty. 
ie a 
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