164 GRASSES OF IOWA. 



to be valuable in chronic laryngitis when inhaled by a sudden 

 aspiration. 



Refined sugar is extensively employed in making lectuaries 

 and lozenges. Not only does it prevent the unpleasant taste 

 but acts as a preservative. 



Amylum. — Amylum or the starches are of universal distribu- 

 tion in the endosperm of grasses but the only starches used in a 

 medicinal way are those of wheat, corn, rice, rye and oats. 

 These starches differ in their structural peculiarities, but all 

 have the same chemical composition. The drug known as 

 Catchu is frequently sold in India, and contains the flour of Rage 

 [Eleusine coracana). In India it is made into tablets and lozenge s. 

 Its principal medicinal qualities do not reside in the starch of 

 the grass-^s but is due to the stringent qualities of the cutch. 



Most alcoholic stimulants arederivedby a process of fermen- 

 tation of the starches contained in rye, barley, wheat, corn, 

 and rice. For ordinary malt liquors barley is largely used and 

 also starches of corn and rice. The products of wheat, corn 

 and rye are largely used for the various brands of whiskies. 



Glucose. — Glucose, having the chemical composition of Cj 

 Hj2 Og though existing naturally in grapes and a large num- 

 ber of fruits is usually prepared by the action of hydrochloric or 

 sulphuric acid upon starch, the term glucose being applied to the 

 syrupy product made by this process and the term grape sugar 

 to the solid product from the same source. 



Maize. — The stigmas of corn silk are used in medicine under 

 the name of Mayd s stigmata. They are diuretic and lithon- 

 triptic. An infusion of corn leaves is sometimes used as an 

 anti febrile, but its action is said to be unreliable.* 



♦Harshberger (Contr. Bot. Lab. Unl. Penn. 1 ; 185) quotes from an article In the Am. 

 Jour, of Phar 5: 315. 



