ROSACER 569 
_. He also aotices the wild plam (probably P. spinosa), and says 
that a kind of dry cake is prepared from the pulp, and used ~ 
medicinally on account of its acid and astringent qualities ; and 
an astringent kind of plam from Damascus which the Turks 
call Fakimflds, evidently a corruption of the Greek xoxxvpnhéa, — 
see Dioscorides (i., 142) and Theophrastus (H. P. IV.2, 10), who 
describe prunes as coming from Damascus. Pliny mentions 
' twelve kinds of plam (15, 12), and also notices the medicinal 
“use of the leaves as an — and the fruit as an aperient. Sa: 
(28, 66.) 
_ The Bokhara plum as met with in commerce is about the 
size and shape of. the dry prune of Hurope, but of a lighter 
3 colour, the skin having been removed; itis very acid, but on 
_ the addition of a little sugar the taste is agreeable and refresh- 
ing. Prunes contain free malie acid, sugar, and albuminoid 
and pectic: substances; what the supposed laxative principle is 
has not been detarmined: 
-. Chemical composition. The dried Bokhara plum as es in 
the bazars, deprived of seeds, has the following side ee. 
composition : — 
Moisture in-vacuo over sulphuric, 
. acid : .. 6°24 per cent. 
Ash’ aes ae 3°39 5 
Extractive matter soluble in boiling 
water 10 ij 
’. Ash in sxieacuve matter .....s..5... 4°58 ” 
Principles precipitated by absolute 
alcohol from aqueous extract ... 12°68 ys 
Ash in absolute‘alcohol precipitate. °226 ,, 
“Saccharine matter possessing 4 
reducing action on alkaline 
copper solution, without acti 
. ebullition with acids ......... 44°63 ” 
Total - free and — étie ; 
3°05 
eeosee 
Toa free and combined malic: * eee 
seer eeeeeeenenteee: 4 498. La. SA 
-aci eee seeseneesneer 
