126 



SCITAMINE^E 



15 to 60 TTJ} (i to 4 mils). 



8 to 30 ttjj (0.5 to 2 mils). 



8 to 30 njj (0.5 to 2 mils). 



2 to 6 fl. dr. (8 to 24 mils). 

 10 to 30 gr. (0.6 to 2 Gm.). 



i to 3 dr. (4 to 12 Gm.). 

 ly to2 ITU (0.0324 to o.i 3 mil). 



OFFICIAL PREPARATIONS. 



Tinctura Zingiberis (20 per cent.), .... Dose: 



Fluidextractum Zingiberis, 



Fluidextractum Aromaticum,. . 



Syrupus Zingiberis (3 per cent.), 



Pulvis Aromaticum (35 per cent.),. . . . 

 Pulvis Rhei Compositus (10 per cent. 



of ginger), 



Oleoresina Zingiberis, 



79. GALANGA. GALANGAL. N.P. The rhizome of Alpi'nia officina'rum Hance. 

 Habitat: China. Reddish-brown, cylindrical, branched, about 100 mm. 

 (4 in.) long, and about the thickness of the thumb, marked with circular or 

 diagonally annular, whitish rings, the remains of former leaf -sheaths; inter- 

 nally orange-brown, dotted with numerous brownish-yellow resin-cells; odor 

 and taste ginger -like. Small galangal, or galanga minor, does not exceed 

 the little finger in size, is darker in color, and has a stronger taste and odor. 

 Like ginger, their activity is due to a volatile oil and a resin, and they have 

 the same medicinal action. (Highly magnified starch grains, see Part iv.) 



80. ZEDOARIA, N.P. ZEDOARY. The rhizome of Cur'cuma zedoar'ia Rox- 

 burgh. There are two kinds, the long and the round, both coming from the 

 East Indies. Externally grayish-white, internally brown, hard, compact; 

 odor aromatic; taste spicy, camphoraceous. The drug comes into market in 

 slices and disks. It is used as an aromatic stimulant, and possesses proper- 

 ties similar to but inferior to those of ginger. Dose: 10 to 30 gr. (0.6 to 2 Gm.}. 



FIG. 45. Curcuma longa Cross-section of the rhizome. 



81. CURCUMA. TURMERIC. The rhizome of Cur'cuma lon'ga (Linne). Habitat: 

 Southern Asia and East Indies, the best coming from China. Cylindrical 

 pieces (Curcuma longa), about as thick, but not so long, as the finger, tubercu- 

 lated and somewhat contorted; externally yellowish-gray, internally deep 

 orange-yellow, with a darkish ring marking the circular nucleus sheath ; hard, 

 compact, breaking with a glossy, waxy fracture; odor feeble but peculiar; 

 taste aromatic, pungent, bitter. 



Curcuma rotunda is round or oval, about the size of a pigeon's egg, or larger, 

 marked externally with annular rings. Both forms of root are derived from 

 the same plant, one being a modification of the other. 



CONSTITUENTS. Volatile oil, a viscid oil, a pungent resin, pasty starch, and a 

 peculiar yellow coloring matter called curcumin, turned brownish by alkalies, 

 becoming violet on drying; with boracic acid it produces an orange tint, 

 changed to blue by alkaline solutions. Stimulant and tonic, but rarely used 

 in that way, except in India, where it is used as a condiment, like ginger. It 





