14 PHARMACOPEIAL DRUGS 



the various aloes of commerce. In contrast with the 

 present unpleasant odor of this form of aloes, A. Faber, 

 in 1847, stated that Curasao aloes (of the Dutch mar- 

 ket) has a 'beautiful saffron-like odor.' (Pharm. 

 Jour. Trans., Vol. VII, 1847, 48, p. 547). 



"Cape aloes is distinguished from all others by its 

 appearance and by being translucent at the edges; it 

 yields a brown-yellow powder. This is the favorite 

 aloes in Germany, and is the variety most soluble in 

 water and alcohol. Messrs. Bainbridge and Morrow 

 have found a specific test for this aloes as follows: 

 When treated with nitric acid, on a white plate, cape 

 aloes, like others, (except Socotrine aloes), yields a red 

 color; but after five minutes' standing, cape aloes 

 changes to a rather permanent green." 



ALTHJEA (Althaea, Marsh Mallow Root) 



Althaea Root. Introduced in Pharm. 1830, (New York ed). 

 Continued through 1910. 



Althaea Flowers. Introduced in 1830, (New York ed.). Not 

 mentioned in 1840. Official in Pharm. 1850, both editions. Not 

 mentioned thereafter. 



Althcea officinalis, known to us as marshmallow, was 

 described by Dioscorides (194) under the Greek name 

 signifying to heal. It has been used in domestic medi- 

 cine from the earliest periods. Charlemagne, 742-814 

 A. D., demanded that it be cultivated in his domain. 

 Althaea grows throughout Europe, Asia Minor, western 

 and northern Asia and adjacent districts, and although 

 of little consequence in physicians' use is more or less 

 employed in domestic medication in all localities. Its 

 domestic use introduced this demulcent drug to early 

 professional medication. 



