KRAMERIA TRIANDRA. ORD. Polygalex. 131 
x Sensible and Chemical Properties. Rhatany root is somewhat larger than 
a goose-quill, it breaks short, and exhibits a woody centre, surrounded with 
a fibrous red bark, of considerable thickness. The internal part of the root 
is woody, tough, and fibrous, and its flavour insipid and mucilaginous. The 
cortical part has a bitter, astringent taste; when first chewed, it is somewhat 
nauseous, but leaves a sweetish impression in the mouth. “The watery infu- 
sion is of a dark brown colour, with a very astringent bitter taste: sulphate 
of iron strikes a black colour, and acetate of lead throws down a pale brown 
_ _ «precipitate, leaving the infusion nearly colourless ; pure alkalies change the 
colour to a deep claret red. The mineral acids, when added to the infusion, 
throw down copious precipitates: but no precipitate is caused by either 
acetic, citric, or the oxalic acids. 
The cortical part of Rhatany root, when digested in alcohol or ether, yields 
a deep, reddish-brown tincture: the latter solution is not of so deep a colour 
as the former, which, when poured into water, lets fall a copious, pink co- 
loured precipitate. The ethereal tincture, when evaporated on water, leaves 
a pellicle of dark red resin on the surface, and a portion of extractive is dif- 
fused through the water, giving to it a pale brown colour. According to 
Vogel, the constituents of 100 parts of the root, contained 40,00 of a peculiar 
principle, 1,50 of mucilage, 0,50 starch, 48,00 fibrine, and 10,00 of water 
and loss. The extract of Rhatany root which is prepared in South America, 
by the natives, who inspissate the expressed juice of the root in the sun, to 
a proper consistence, we are told by Vogel, when heated, swells very much, 
and melts; and in this it differs from Kino, which becomes charred by heat, 
without producing any change in its form. From the above experiments, 
we may couclude that the cortical part of the root contains resin, gum, fe- 
cula, some gallic acid, and tannin—but Gmelin could not detect in it any 
gallic acid; and Peschier thinks it contains a peculiar acid, which he has 
calléd Krameric, and which forms crystallizable permanent salts with alka- 
lies. The ashes of Rhatany contain pure lime, carbonate of lime, sulphate 
of lime, carbonate of magnesia, and silex. 
Medical Properties and Uses. Rhatany root is a powerful astringent; it is 
also somewhat tonic, and corroborant, and may be given in many cases in 
- which medicines of this class are indicated. In Peru it has been long in 
use, and much esteemed as an efficacious remedy in dysentery, diarrheea, &c. 
We are told by Alibert, that it has been used with success in France, in 
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