4ST. | 44 
ASTRINGENTS. 
Astringent remedies are substances which con-_ 
stringe the living animal fibre, and consentaneous- 
ly invigorate the system. In the arts they are vari- 
ously used. ‘they condensate the dead animal 
fibre in certain processes, as the tanning of leather. 
‘There are numerous aspects in which the class 
of medicines possessing an astringent property, 
may be viewed, each presenting much difficulty 
and uncertainty. Among them their mode of. 
erating is particularly perplexing. Cullen a 
Spielman commence their treatises of the Materia 
Medica with this class. Many attempts hay 
been made to abotish it, the reasons alleged for 
such design: reasons why it might be abo 
even from those works in which the syste 
classification discarded in these lectures, is 
sued. The ‘substances could readily be dispo 
of under the classes of tonics, &c. Cullen’s 
ion in relation to the mode of operating 0} 
class of medicines, discussed, He believed ls 
acted chemically upon living, as they do upo 
dead matter in the process of tanning. Diffe 
of the action of astringents on dead and 
matter, evidenced in the certain addition of w n 
they make to the former, and the very inconsidera- 
ble quantity absorbed, by the living system, when 
an astringent liquor is applied externally to: any 
part of it. Notice of Davys’ experiments relating 
‘to the augmented weight of hides by the 
