PUNICA GRANATUM. ORD, XXVIII. Pomacea. 533 
taste it is very astringent. “ With water it yields near half its 
own weight of a very austere extract, but gives out very little 
to rectified spirit; its astringent matter, like that of the fruit of 
the acacia tree, seeming to be indissoluble in spirituous menstrua: 
in this respect the astringency of the’fruit differs from the latter,” 
which are named Balaustium or Balaustine flowers; these are com- 
monly taken from the double-flowered variety, and like the rind 
have little or no smell, but a mild bitterish styptic taste. They 
are both powerful astringents,* and with this effect have long been 
successfully employed in diseases both internally and externally. 
Dr. Cullen observes that “ the strong styptic taste of this bark, 
« and the black colour it strikes with green vitriol, shew sufficiently 
its astringent power; and it is commonly supposed to be among 
“ the strongest of this kind. As at the same time, it gives out 
“ such a large portion of its substance to water in infusion or 
“« decoction, it seems to be particularly fit for affording a liquid 
** astringent, and I have frequently found it particularly useful 
« in gargles, in diarrhoea, and in external applications. That it 
“ is so powerful an astringent internally used, as to be more 
«© dangerous than others, J cannot perceive; and that it has ever 
“ had the power of suppressing the catamenia, seems to me very 
« doubtful.”*" | The dose, in substance, is from half a dram to 
a dram ; in infusien or decoction, to half an ounce. 
f Lewis Mat. Med. p. 328. 
* Virtus corticis: validus adstringens, coriaria; forum: paullo mitior; pulpe 
refrigerans, restringens. Berg. M. M. p. 398 
h M. M. vol. ii. p. 44. 
* Usus cort. externus, Laxitas uvula, Procedentia intestini. Berg. 1, e 
* 
No. 45.—vor. 4. GT 
