276 EXPERIMENTS ON ASTRINGENT VEGETABLES. 



Two hundred grains of the powder procured in this way, 

 from the catechu of Bombay, afforded by analyfis. 



Grains. 

 Bombay catechu. Tann ; n lQ9 



Peculiar extractive matter .... 68 



Mucilage - - - - - - - -13 



Refidual matter ; chiefly (and and calcareous earth 10 



The powder of the Bengal catechu gave, by fimilar methods 

 of analyfis, in 200 grains, 



Grains. 



bengal catechu* • Tannin .^--.-..97 



Peculiar extractive matter . - - 73 



Mucilage - - - - - - . - 1$ 



Refidual matter-; fand, with a fmall quantity of calca- 

 reous and aluminous earths - - - - 14 



In thefolidfam- I" examining thofe parts of the catechu from Bengal which 



pies the tannin W ere differently coloured, I found the largeft proportion of 

 and mucilage are . ... . . * r 1 r ^ * 1 « 



imperfectly tannin in the darken part of the lubttance ; and molt extractive 



mingled. matter in the lighteft part. It is probable that the inequality of 



composition in this catechu, is owing to its being evaporated 

 and formed without much agitation ; inconfequence of which, 

 the conftituent parts of it that are leaft foluble, being firft pre- 

 cipitated, appear in fome meafure diftincl from the more foluble 

 parts, which aflume the folid form at a later period of the 

 procefs. 



Pale catechu From the obfervations of Mr. Kerr*, it would appear, that 



xnoft in requeft. the pale catechu is that moil fought after in India; and it is 



It contains more . . , , ... , . ;? _ . 



of the extract, evidently that which contains molt extractive matter. The ex- 

 tractive matter feems to be the fubftance that gives to the ca- 

 techu the peculiar fweetnefs of tafte which follows theimpref- 

 lion of aftringency ; and it is probably this fweetnefs of tafte 

 which renders it fo agreeable to the Hindoos, for the purpofe 

 of chewing with the betle-nut. 



(To be continued.) 

 * Medical Obfervations, Vol. V. page 155. 



Mem 



