694 ZINGIBERACEA, 
and also as a cattle medicine, a spice, and as a popular medicine. The 
Tartars use it to prepare a kind of tea.—The source of the light Galangal 
of Guibourt is altogether unknown. The Galangals have similar properties 
to Ginger. The ovoid China Cardamom is the fruit of A. alba ; its seeds are 
used as a condiment in China. 
Amomum.—Several species of this genus have aromatic and stimulant 
seeds, which are used as spices and medicinal agents in various parts of the 
world. The only species which is employed in this country is the A. mele- 
gueta, which yields the Grains of Paradise of the shops. It is a native of 
the Western Coast of Africa. These seeds are much employed in Africa as 
a spice. The common notion that they are very injurious is erroneous. 
They are principally employed in this country in veterinary medicine, and 
for giving pungency to beer, wine, spirits, and vinegar.— A. Cardamomum 
yields the fruit known as the round Cardamom. The fruits of A. maximum 
constitute Java Cardamoms; those of A. Korarima Korarima Cardamoms ; 
and those of A. globosum the large round and the small round China Carda- 
moms. The latter are much employed in China. Many other species have 
similar properties. 
Curcuma.—C. longa.—The dried tubers or rhizomes of this plant consti- 
tute the turmeric of the shops. They are officialin the British Pharmacopeeia 
asatest. Turmeric is used as a condiment, as a test, and for dyeing yellow. 
It is largely employed in India, China, and other parts of the East. It 
forms an ingredient in curry powder, &c. Unsized white paper steeped 
in tincture of Turmeric, when dried, is employed as a test to detect free 
alkalies, which change its colour from yellow to reddish-brown.—C. angusti- 
folia: the rhizomes contain a large quantity of starch, which, when 
extracted, forms East Indian Arrowroot or Curcuma Starch. This kind of 
arrowroot may be also obtained from other species of Cureuma, as C. leu- 
corrhiza, C. rubescens, &c. In its effects and uses it resembles West Indian 
Arrowroot or Maranta Starch (see Maranta) ; but it is not so pure a starch, 
—C. aromatica yields the Round Zedoary of pharmacologists.—C. Zedoaria 
is supposed to yield the so-called Cassumunar roots, the Long Zedoary, and 
the Zerumbet roots of commerce ; they all possess aromatic and tonite pro- 
perties. But Professor Archer believes that Zerumbet and Cassumunar are 
derived from C. Zerumbet. (See Zingiber.) 
Elettaria—E. Cardamomum yielas the capsular fruits which constitute 
the small or Malabar Cardamoms, the seeds of which are official in the 
British Pharmacopeeia, and are in common use in medicine in this country 
on account of their cordial and stimulating properties, and also as flavouring 
agents. Inthe East Indies they are extensively used as a condiment and 
for chewing with betel. In parts of the Continent, as Russia, Germany, &c., 
they are also much employed for flavouring, and in the preparation of 
liqueurs, &c.—E. major yields Ceylon Cardamoms, which are much used on 
the Continent ; their uses and effects are similar, but they are of less value 
than the former. 
Zingiber.—Z. officinale, the Ginger Plant.—The so-called Ginger-root or 
Ginger of the shops is the rhizome of this species. The rhizomes when very 
young, or the young shoots of the old rhizomes, are used for preserving, and 
fourm in this state Preserved Ginger. The Ginger of the shops is found in 
two states, one being called white ginger or uncoated ginger, and the other 
black ginger or coated ginger. The former is prepared from the rhizomes of 
about a year old, which when dug up are washed, scraped, and dried: this 
kind is generally preferred, and is alone official in the British Pharmacopeeia. 
The latter is prepared from the rhizomes in a similar manner, but not 
submitted to the scraping process. The essential distinction between the two 
consists, therefore, in White Ginger having its integument removed, while 
in Black Ginger it remains on the surface as a shrivelled membrane. 
Ginger is extensively used as a condiment, and also in medicine as a stimulant 
