CASSIA FISTULA: ORD. XXV. Lomentacee. AAT 
taote its fermentation; and the fruit is suffered to remain in this 
situation forty days, when it is sufficiently prepared for keeping.” 
Those pods, or canes, which are the heaviest, and in which the 
seeds do not rattle on being shaken, are commonly the best, and 
contain the most pulp, which is the part medicinally employed, 
and to be obtained in the manner described in the pharmacopeeias,* 
_ The best pulp is of a bright shining black colour, and of a sweet 
taste, with a slight degree of acidity. | “ It dissolves both in water 
and in rectified spirit; readily in the former, slowly and difficultly 
in the latter, and not totally in either: the part which remains 
undissolved appears to be of little or no activity.” 
We are told by C. Bauhin, that some have supposed the Siliqua 
fEgyptiaca of Theophrastus to be our Cassia Fistula ;* but there 
seems no evidence of its being known to the ancient Greeks; so 
that it is with more probability thought that the use of this, as 
well as of Senna, was first discovered by the Arabian physicians.‘ 
The pulp of Cassia has been long used as a laxative medicine, 
_and being gentle in its operation, and seldom occasioning griping 
or uneasiness of the bowels, has been thought well adapted ta 
children, and to delicate or pregnant women. Adults, however, 
find it of little effect, unless taken in a very large dose, as an, 
ounce. or more, and therefore to them this pulp is rarely given, 
alone, but usually conjoined with some of the brisker purgatives. 
It has been observed by Vallisnieri, that its purgative quality is, 
remarkably promoted by manna; but this effect was never dis- 
covered in the trials made by Dr. Cullen, in whose opinion the 
Cassia pulp is much of the same nature as the fructus acido dulces; 
and he says, “ it would certainly be proper for our country 
» Vide Hasselquist and Alpinus. 
© See Pulparum extractio. « Lewis, M. M. p. 207. 
. Siliqnam Agyptiacam Theophrasti (1 hist. 18.) nonnulli censent. Pinax. p) 408. 
f Therefore to be considered the Kiarxamber of Serapion, and the Chaiarlander 
of Avicenna, from whom Actuarias seems to have his Kacovm wera. 
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