412 • 8CITAMINEM 



leaf-btids. Turmeric is of a deep brownish-yellow colour, of 

 firm resinous consistence, and has a peculiar aromatic odour. 



Microscopic sfriwf lire. — Sections of the fresh rhizome show 

 the exterior to be composed of several layers of compressed 

 brown cells. The parenchyme consists of delicate polj'gonal 

 cells of a yellow colour^ the majority contain starch grains 

 which arc mostly elongated, but some are pyriform or OA^oid ; 

 a smaller number of cells contain globular masses of yellow 

 resinous matter, and a rich orange- yellow essential oil ; those 

 cells which contain much resin have little or no oil, when the 

 resin is in small quantity there is much oil. The vascular sys- 



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tern consists of scalariform and spiral vessels, which are most 

 abundant near the boundary line which separates the cortical 



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from the central portion of the rhizome. This boundary line 

 is composed of small emptj^ cells, having thicker walls than 

 those of the rest of the parenchyme. 



Chemical eomjwsit ion. — Turmeric contains about 1 percent. 

 of an essential oil. Curcumin^ the yellow-colouring matter 

 of turmeric, has been examined by several chemists, whose 

 experiments have led to the conclusion that its formula is 

 either C^^II^^O' or C^'^II^^ 0^ that it melts at 172^ forms 

 red-brown salts with alkalies, is converted by boric or 

 sulphuric acid into ro.wcjjanine^ by reduction with zinc-dust 

 into an oily body, by oxidation into oxalic or terephthalic acid, 

 and by fusion wdth potash into protocatechuic acid. The 

 experiments of Jackson and Menke have, however, led to 

 results diifering in many respect from those above detailed, 

 which were probably obtained from impure i3reparations. 



The Curcuuiin used in their experiments was prepared by 

 treating ground turmeric root (Bengal or Madras) with light 

 petroleum to remove turmeric oil, and then with ether, which 

 dissolves the curcumin together with a large quantity of resin; 

 and it was finally purified by crystallization from alcohol. The 

 quantity of cmx^aniin thus obtained was only 0'3 per cent, of 

 the root ; the total quantity contained in the root is, however, 

 much larger, as a con^dderable amount remains mixed with the 



