88 GERANIUM MACULATUM, 
pound remained principally suspended at the end 
of twenty four hours, and when used in writing 
had the appearance of common ink, but in a few 
days changed to a dull brown colour. <A por- 
tion of the fresh infusion was distilled, but the li- 
quid which came over was not altered in colour 
by the sulphate of iron. | 
The above experiments indicate the presence 
of tannin and gallic acid, the former in large quan- 
tities, in the root of the Geranium. The propor- 
tion of tannin seems considerably to exceed that 
in the kino of the shops, The gallic acid is in- 
dicated by the dark precipitate remaining in so- 
lution. This is Berthollet’s criterion. It differs 
however from the acid of oak galls in not reddening 
vegetable blues, and not passing over in distillation, 
Alcohol and proof spirit readily dissolve the 
active constituents of the Geranium. The _tine- 
ture has a great sensible astringency, and is a 
convenient mode of keeping the article for use. 
The Geranium has been repeatedly employed 
in medicine by yarious practitioners in this coun- 
try. [have found it useful in a number of cases, 
where astringents were capable of rendering ser- 
vice. It is particularly suited to the treatment of 
such discharges as continue from debility after 
the removal of their exciting causes, ‘The tine- 
