PHARMACOPCIAL VEGETABLE DRUGS. 
FRANGULA 
Buckthorn, Rhamnus frangula, grows in wet places throughout 
Europe, Siberian Asia, and the Northern African Coast. From a very 
early date it has been known as a cathartic as well as a coloring agent. 
A decoction of the bark has been in domestic use both as a dye for 
cotton, wool, and silk fabrics, and as a cathartic, in which (latter) di- 
rection it is very effective. No written professional record antedates 
its domestic use, and perhaps as a “rheumatic remedy” it has no do- 
mestic superior. 
GALLA 
Oak galls (Quercus infectoria) are mentioned by Theophrastus 
(633) and other ancient writers, and they were prescribed by Alex- 
ander Trallianus (11) as a remedy in diarrhea. They are derived from 
varieties of the oak, Smyrna being one of the export points. In that 
city we have seen them in large quantities, in process of sorting for 
exportation. As an astringent, galls have long been employed in de- 
coctions in domestic practice in the countries where they are obtained 
as excrescences on the oak. 
GAMBIR 
Gambir (or gambier) (Ourouparia gambir) is a shrub native to 
the countries bordering the Straits of Malucca, being found also in 
Ceylon and India. The dried juice of an Indian tree (Acacia catechu 
and Acacia suma) is often confused with gambir, and its extract 
(catechu or cutch) is only too often substituted therefor. Gambir has 
been obtained from the Orient from the beginning of historical records, 
and in those countries, mixed with other substances, seems ever to 
have been used as an astringent in domestic medicine. Both gambir 
and catechu, as these products are often called indifferently, have ever 
been articles of export to China, Arabia, and Persia, but were not 
brought into Europe until the seventeenth century. They are simi- 
larly astringent, and although the U. S. P., 1900 edition, drops the 
word catechu, it is questionable as to whether in commerce a close 
distinction is drawn in the product. 
GAULTHERIA (THE OIL) 
The first record of the therapeutical use of this oil, as is often the 
case with valuable medicines, is to be found in empirical medicine. 
The proprietary remedy, very popular about the beginning of this 
century under the name “Panacea of Swaim,” or “Swaim’s Panacea,” 
ie it. 
: is remedy gave added impetus to our Compound Syrup of 
Sarsaparilla, having become so popular as to force itself to the prices 
tion of the profession. The Sarsaparilla Compound of the name “Sirup 
or Rob Anti-Syphilitica” was closely associated with Swaim’s Panacea 
and Ellis, 1843, after giving the formula of “Sirup Rob Antisyphilitica” 
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