CATECHU. 



59 



varieties are noticed : 1, East India or Amboyna; 2, African — sup- 

 posed to be the product of the Pterocarpus erinacea^ of Senegal ; 3, 

 Jamaica or West India — supposed to be derived from the Coccoloba 

 uvifera ; 4, Botany Bay, — the concrete juice of the Eucalyptus re- 

 sinifera ; 5, Caraccas. — The one most used is the Amboyna or East 

 India. It comes in small, irregular, angular fragments, of a dark 

 reddish-brown colour ; shining fracture ; no odour ; but a very astrin- 

 gent taste. Soluble in hot water and alcohol. Active principle, 

 that variety of tannic acid which affords a greenish-black precipitate 

 with the sequisalts of iron. 



Uses. — One of the most used, internally, of all the astringents ; 

 employed frequently with chalk and laudanum in diarrhoea and 

 dysentery, not attended with inflammation ; also in passive hemor- 

 rhages, leucorrhoea, and diabetes. Dose of powder, 10 to 30 grs. ; 

 of the infusion, (3ij to f3vj water,) fjss. ; of the tincture f 3ss. to 

 f 3ij. Kino is used externally, as an injection in gonorrhoea, leu- 

 corrhoea, and hemorrhages ; also for indolent ulcers. 



Catechu, U. S. 



Extract of the Acacia catechu, a thorny tree growing in Hindo- 

 stan. Procured by making a decoction of the wood, and then evapo- 

 rating to a proper 



consistence. For- ^^S- 13. 



merly called Terra 

 Jajjonica, from its 

 supposed earthy 

 origin. There are 

 several varieties of 

 Catechu, one of 

 which is derived 

 from the Betel nut, 

 and another, call- 

 ed cutch, or Gam- 

 bir, from the Nau- 

 clea Ganihir of 

 Sumatra. 



Frop. — Irregu- 

 lar masses of va- 

 rious sizes ; colour, 

 externally, rusty 



brown, lighter within ; taste, bitter and astringent ; active ingre- 

 dient, the same variety of tannin as is found in kino, — which it re- 

 sembles very much in all its properties. 



Uses. — Same as kino. Dose of powder, 10 to 30 grains. 



