rOLYGONACEjE. 



157 



sugar have also been met witli in rhubarl). The amount of the 

 mineral constituents is exceedingly variable : Fluckiger and 

 Hanbury obtained from two good samples of China Rhubarb, 

 dried at lOO'^C. and incinerated, 12-9 and 13-87 per cent, of ash"; 

 another pale sample yielded no less than 43*27 per cent. The 

 ash consists of carbonates of calcium and potassium. 



The following analyses by Elborne show the percentage 

 composition of three samples of English Rhubarb and two of 

 the Eastern drug ; 



B. offici- 

 nale, or- 

 dinal y 

 cultiva- 

 tion. 



B. offici- 

 nale, high 

 ciiitiva- 

 tlou. 



R. rha 



jiouti- 



cum. 



East 



Inaian 



Khabarb. 



Russian 

 Bliubtirb. 



Moisture 606 



Ash 



Mucilage (soluble in water) 

 Cathartic aciiJ .-.. 



Tannin aniichryso|)Iiao 

 Organic acid 



Resinous 



alcohol 



Fat and 



substances sohible in 



free chrj'sophanic acid 

 soluble in petrolenm ether 



9-33 

 6-5 

 35 

 14 3 

 3-3 



7-9 

 4-9 

 48 

 32 

 11-7 

 2'2 



2-6 



20 



0-4 



0-3 



5-57 



79 



41 



33 



125 



1-5 



1 



3-4 



0-2 



5-4 

 9'28 

 4-0 

 4-6 



11-7 

 3-0 



46 



0-7 



12-6 



6-63 

 5-5 



32 



110 



4-5 



6-2 



1-5 



Rumex vesicarius, Linn., Campd: Bum.,'l29,t. 3,/. 1.8; 



Chuka {Hind., Beng., 5ow5.), Chukra {Sans), is cultivated all 

 over Asia, and is used just as sorrel is in Europe; excellent 

 'potage EL I'oseille' may be made with it The plant is, doubt- 

 less, one of the kinds of Hamaz (Dock) mentioned in Arabic 

 works, and is mucli esteemed for its medicinal properties. The 

 juice is said to allay tlie paiu of toothache, and by its astrino-ent 

 properties to check nausea, promote the appetite, and allay 

 morbid craving for unwholesome substances. The herb also is 

 considered very cooling and of use in heat of stomach, and 

 externally as an epithem to allay pain, especially that caused 

 by the bites or stings of reptiles and insects. The seeds are said 

 to have similar properties, and are prescribed roasted in dysen-* 

 4 tery, and as an antidote to scorpion stings. The root is also 

 medicinal- 



#4 



