38 A COMPENDIUM OF 
ties, which formed neutral compounds with al- 
kalies insoluble in water ; this principle he termed 
anchusic acid, Alkanet is not used in medicine, 
but is valuable to the pharmacist, as it imparts 
a fine shade of red to alcohol and oils. 
Althza Officinalis, Marshmallow.—Natural 
order Malvacex. Native of England and other 
portions of Europe, but domesticated in the 
United States. According to some botanists, 
it was first brought from Asia. The a/thea 
is a perennial herb, attaining a height of 
from two to six feet, found growing in the salt 
marshes of Europe and the United States. The 
stems are erect and hairy, the leaves soft and 
pubescent on both sides, unequally wedge- 
shaped (cunate), somewhat cordate or ovate in 
shape, the lower five and the upper three leaves 
being lobed; the peduncles are axillary; many- 
flowered ; calyx, 6 to 9 cleft; petals, 5, with two 
or more pistils united forming a pod of several 
cells; flowers of a pale blue color. 
The foot of the atruwa is usually deprived 
of its outer covering (epidermis), and then ap- 
pears of a dirty white color on the external sur- 
face, but internally of a creamy white, and 
granular, In commerce it occurs in pieces of 3 
to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimeters) long, and one- 
half inch (2 centimeters) in diameter or in ir- 
regular cube-shaped pieces. The main root is 
usually rejected as unfit for use, the fleshy 
branches being the ones selected, and these 
should be two or three years old before they be- 
come of value as a remedial agent. Marsh- 
mallow contains muctlage, starch, sugar, aspar- 
agin, traces of lime and a fixed oil. Its princi- 
