65! 



AROMATICS. 



ARPEGGIO. 



554 



matter, 26 of gum, and 20 of vegetable fibre, together with free acid, 

 and ail aromatic substance to which the peculiar odour of arnotto is 

 due. Chevreul describes two colouring matters in arnotto ; one yellow, 

 soluble in water and alcohol ; and another red, soluble in alcohol, and 

 slightly so in water. Caustic alkaline solutions are tinged of a dark 

 orange colour by arnotto. Alum and protosulphate of iron give orange 

 yellow precipitates in decoction of arnotto, whilst protochloride of 

 tin gives a lemon-yellow precipitate. 



Arnotto imparts an orange colour to wool, cotton, and silk ; but its 

 use is now chiefly confined to silk-dyeing. The colour is brilliant, but 

 fugitive. It is also employed to colour cheese and butter, and to 

 impart an orange-yellow colour to varnishes, oils, tinctures, &c. 



The Arnotto of commerce is brought to us from South America. It 

 is moderately hard, brown on the outside, and of a dull red within. It 

 comes in cakes of about two or three pounds weight each, and is gene- 

 rally emveloped in large flag-leaves previous to being packed in casks. 

 It this state it receives the name of " flag arnotto," to distinguish it 

 from another preparation which is a harder and more concentrated 

 extract from the fruit-pods of the same plant, and which contains 

 a larger proportion of colouring matter than flag arnotto. This 

 superior description, of which but little is imported, is known as 

 " roll arnotto.' The liquid sold under the name of Nankin dye now, 

 by the fluctuations of fashion, little used in England is a solution of 

 arnotto in potass and water. A solution is also sometimes made in 

 alcohol, which is used for lacquering and by varnishers. 



It is believed that the method employed for making this extract in 

 the country of its production, which is by the application of a high 

 degree of heat in combination with a process of fermentation, is in- 

 jurious to its colouring properties : an opinion which is confirmed by 

 the fact of the superiority of the colouring matter when procured from 

 the fresh pods. There is reason to suppose that means might be used 

 for precipitating the colouring matter without subjecting it to so great 

 a risk of carbonisation by heat as it is usually made to undergo, and 

 without having recourse to the process of fermentation. Some experi- 

 ments made with this view by Vauquelin seem to confirm this suppo- 

 sition. 



AKOMATICS are agents obtained from the vegetable kingdom, 

 exercising a peculiar influence over the digestive powers, and possessed 

 of more or less odour or fragrance. Of this odour, by which they can 

 at all times be recognised, the most usual vehicle is an essential or 

 volatile oil, as stated in the article AROMA, in NAT. HIST. Drv. Indeed 

 volatile oil exists in all aromatic plants, and in every part except the 

 cotyledons, save in the nutmeg and a very few other seeds ; but this 

 aromatic oil does not reside in the same part in every kind of plant. 

 In umbelliferous plants we find it mostly in the fruits (and chiefly in 

 the rltta of them), yet in angelica, celery, and parsley it is diffused 

 through the whole structure. Labiate plants, such as mint, balm, 

 rosemary, and Li vender, have it in the leaves and stem ; cinnamon in 

 the bark ; all terebinthinate plants in their young branches. The Iris 

 jlorentina (orris) and others have it chiefly in the root ; the Scitaminece 

 equally in the root (ginger) and the seeds (cardamoms) ; the rose and 

 chamomile have it in the petals ; yet it is not equal in all the petals of 

 the chamomile, being greatest in the yellow florets of the disk : hence, 

 <\i milling the flowers of the chamomile, by which the yellow florets of 

 the disk are diminished, and the white florets of the ray increased, 

 lessens the virtues of the flowers. 



The power of medicines is frequently judged of by their sensible 

 qualities ; that is, by the impression which they make on the organs of 

 smell and taste ; aromatics affect both of these senses in a very percep- 

 til.lt! and sometimes extraordinary manner. Scarcely any one is insen- 

 sible to the odour of particular flowers, and some are affected by them 

 to an extraordinary degree. The approach to Ceylon can be determined 

 by the fragrance of the air, at the distance of many miles ; the Mv:nnJin 

 ijlaufu, (beaver-tree or swamp magnolia) diffuses an odour by which it 

 can be recognised at the distance of three miles among the swampy 

 districts and consequently moist atmosphere in which it grows. This 

 powerfully affects many persons while travelling or hunting ; and the 

 Maynolia tripetata causes sickness, headache, and an aggravation of 

 fevers or rheumatism, among those near it who are labouring under 

 these complaints. The odour of the jonquils and other fragrant plants 

 raised in Holland is so great when brought into a room or close apart- 

 ment as to be quite overpowering. In such countries or places as have 

 a very humid atmosphere, the odour of plants is most readily diffused 

 as well as most potent ; of this we may satisfy ourselves by calling to 

 inind the greater fragrance of flowers early in the morning, in the 

 evening, or after a shower. This accounts for the violent action of the 

 plants in the countries just mentioned ; but even many plants of 

 Britain affect some individuals, endowed with a peculiar and excessive 

 sensibility, to an extreme degree. The sweet-scented violet has such 

 an effect on certain persons as to occasion headache, convulsions, and 

 apoplexy. (See Triller, ' Dissertatio de Morte Subita ex nimio Violarum 

 Odore.') 



Aromatics are seldom applied to the organ of smell for the purpose 

 of influencing the system in a remedial manner, except in the form of 

 i tic vinegar, in threatened or actual fainting; we shall therefore 

 proceed to consider their action upon the palate and stomach. As all 

 aromatica contain volatile oil, their action is generally referred to this 

 principle ; but there cannot be a doubt that the more fixed principles 



which they contain contribute greatly to their effect. Volatile oils, 

 when separated, act chiefly oil the nervous system ; but aromatics 

 influence more particularly the digestive organs, the function of assimi- 

 lation, and the generation of animal heat. They are themselves digested, 

 but previous to this process commencing, or going any length, they 

 produce, by direct contact with the internal surfaces, a peculiar effect, 

 which we perceive beginning at the lips and palate, and accompanying 

 them in their progress to the stomach. They scarcely excite any general 

 action of the system, but expend their power chiefly upon the stomach, 

 and, in a less degree, upon the intestinal canal, increasing the vital force 

 of the former, and quickening the muscular action of the latter. They 

 also communicate to the stomach a greater power of resistance to un- 

 pleasant sensations, as under their influence many articles can be borne 

 by it which would otherwise be rejected ; and this happens equally 

 with regard to food and medicines. 



The mixture of aromatics renders them more agreeable than when 

 given singly ; and this is exemplified both in their medical and culinary 

 employment, as no good cook will use only one spice if she can procure 

 more. The aromatic ptn?der and aromatic, confection are compounded 

 on this principle for medical use, and Dr. Kitchener's Zest for culinary 

 purposes. 



The necessity for the employment of aromatics is greater in warm 

 climates and warm weather than in cold ; and we find the plants which 

 furnish them grow in the greatest abundance in hot countries. The 

 pepper tribe (Piperacea;),'ior example, is confined to the hottest parts of 

 the world, such as tropical America and the Indian Archipelago ; forty 

 species of pepper are met with in the island of Java alone. Throughout 

 the East Indies the natives restore the powers of the stomach by chew- 

 ing betel, which consists of slices of the areca nut, sprinkled with fresh 

 lime, wrapped up along with some other aromatic in a leaf of the piper 

 betel. The Indians of South America use theryt/tro;cylumPeruvianum 

 (called cocca) along with the leaves of the Chenopodium Quinoa, mixed 

 with quick-lime, to stimulate the impaired powers of the stomach 

 during then- long and toilsome journeys over the heights of the Andes. 

 (See Humboldt, ' Tableau Physique de la Nouvelle Espagne.') On the 

 same principle, the Europeans who visit tropical countries use curry 

 and other hot dishes. But in every quarter of the globe we find condi- 

 ments used along with all articles difficult of digestion, especially vege- 

 tables, fish, and young meats, such as veal. Aromatics are therefore 

 employed both to prevent and cure diseased states of the stomach, and 

 to assist the action of other remedies. 



In simple loss of appetite, without any other obvious disease, or in 

 slow digestion, they may be employed in the form of the warmer pickles 

 during dinner, or preserved ginger after dinner. 



In many cases of fever in warm climates, the stomach is so powerless 

 that it cannot extract from cinchona bark, or other febrifuge medicines, 

 the principles fitted to cure the disease, unless aided by aromatics. 

 Hence, Cayenne pepper is added to them ; and indeed Cayenne pepper 

 will often cure the fever withoxit any bark. Lately, piperin (the active 

 principle of pepper) has been recommended as a means of curing fevers 

 in Europe ; and certain it is that some lingering fevers of the inter- 

 mittent character, occurring in old or feeble persons, cannot be cured 

 without the assistance of aromatics. [AciCE.] It may be stated how- 

 ever that piperin, when pure, has no aromatic property. 



The preparation of iron (carbonate) which is found to be so useful in 

 curing tic-douloureux, can rarely be borne by the stomach for such a 

 length of time, or in such large doses, as are necessary, without adding 

 aromatics to it. They are also very beneficially added to aloctic purga- 

 tives, for the treatment of indigestion and constipation, occurring in 

 literary and sedentary persons. Aromatics are frequently used to 

 disguise the unpleasant taste of many medicines. The disagreeable 

 taste of aloes is concealed by adding the aromatic or compound spirit of 

 lavender, and the intensely bitter taste of the sulphate of quinia is 

 nearly covered by mixing one part of it with ten or fifteen parts of 

 powdered valerian, fennel, aniseed, or orange-peel. 



Aromatics are most suited to persons of a phlegmatic constitution, or 

 those advanced in life ; less so to the young, or those of very irritable 

 constitutions. They are to be altogether prohibited in certain states of 

 the stomach or system generally. When there exists any inflammatory 

 condition of the stomach they would be very improper ; and it is neces- 

 sary to observe, that in all degrees and stages of inflammation of the 

 stomach, debility more or less is felt by the patient, which might seem 

 to indicate their use ; but under such circumstances they are extremely 

 hurtful. The same observations apply to the aromatic teas, such as 

 balm and sage, in common use among the people. 



In certain affections of the brain, such as when there is a tendency to 

 apoplexy, they are improper. Cullen mentions the case of a gentleman, 

 who having taken by mistake two drachms of powdered nutmeg, in 

 about an hour became drowsy, and fell from his chair. Being laid in 

 bed, he dropped asleep, but awoke from time to time, and was quite 

 delirious. He thus continued alternately sleeping and delirious for 

 several hours. Even the following day he still complained of headache 

 and drowsiness. In the East such cases are of frequent occurrence. 

 Persons predisposed to affections of the brain should abstain from such 

 articles, especially mulled wine at bed-time. 



ARPEGGIO, in music (Hal. to play on the harp), is, when applied 

 to keyed instruments, the striking the notes of a chord in rapid 

 succession, as in the manner of touching the harp, instead of playing 



