‘ 
COCCULUS PALMATUS. ORD. VIII. Sarmentacex. 25 
Sensible and Chemical Progerties, §c. Calumba root is bitter and slightly 
aromatic; it breaks with a starchy fracture, and is easily pulverised; exter- 
nally, of a brown wrinkled appearance; internally, yellow. The woody 
part of the root should be of a light yellow colour, somewhat solid and _ 
heavy. Its smell is weak, with a slight aromatic odour. Boiling water 
takes up about one-third of its weight; the infusion has the sensible qualities 
of the root ; it is not altered by sulphate of iron, nitrate of silver, corrosive 
sublimate, nor by emetic tartar; but it is copiously precipitated by, acetate 
of lead, tincture of nutgalls, lime-water, and yellow cinchona bark. It gives 
out its properties also to alcohol and proof spirit ; but the latter is the best 
menstruum. It affords an essential oil, by repeated distillation with water ; 
the remaining decoction yields malate and sulphate of lime. M. Planché 
obtained from this root one-third its weight of starch ; a yellow, bitter, resin ; 
a small quantity of volatile oil; salts of lime and potass; oxide of iron; 
silex; and a large proportion of a substance, which resembled animal 
matter.* We are told that a spurious calwmba root is met with in France, 
which is imported from the states of Barbary. It is known by its not con- 
taining starch ; hence it is easily detected by the agency of iodine, which 
does not alter its colour; by its changing black with sulphate of iron, and 
by its infusion reddening turnsole paper. 
Medical Properties and Uses. Calumba root is considered a powerful 
antiseptic and tonic, and also possessed of some astringent properties ; 
thence it is recommended in diarrhcea,t cholera morbus, general debility, 
and in the last stages of phthisis pulmonalis, and in hectic fever; it has 
_ been found to check colloquitive diarrhea, to allay nervous irritability, and 
to impart some degree of vigour to thestomach. It has also been considered 
useful in allaying the distressing nausea and vomiting which accompany 
pregnancy, and in the low stage of puerperal fever.{ It is also an excellent 
remedy in dyspepsia. Calumba root may be given in powder in doses of 
from fifteen to thirty grains, and repeated once in four or six hours. It is 
* Bull. de Pharm. iij. 289. 
+ By the natives of Mosambique, and also by those at a remote distance, this root is 
considered almost a specific for every disorder of long standing ; but more especially for 
dysentery and venereal disorders. 
t Vide Denman’s Introduction to Midwifery, vol. ij. 524. 
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