POWDERED DRUGS AND FOODS. -jyj 



soidal, 7 to 20 /A in diameter, single or 2- to 3-cornpound, point of 

 origin of growth circular or slightly cleft ; endodermal cells thick- 

 ened on the inner tangential wall. The powders of Vcratrum 

 album and Veratruui viride cannot be distinguished one from 

 the other by their microscopic characters, but appear to differ 

 chemically, a mount of V. viride in concentrated sulphuric acid 

 having a yellowish-red color and that of V. album a dull red 

 color. The so-called powdered hellebore, used as an insecticide 

 by gardeners consists of either V. album or V. viride, the former 

 being mostly employed. 



b. CALCIUM OXALATE WANTING. 



a Stone Cells Present. 



60. CALUMB A. Bright yellow (Figs. 198; 302, H) ; stone 

 cells containing one or more monoclinic prismatic crystals of 

 calcium oxalate ; starch grains single, irregular, 25 to 35 fx long, 

 with excentral and distinct lamellae. 



P Stone Cells Wanting. 

 I. Starch Grains 15 to 30 /* in Diameter. 



61. ZINGIBER. Light yellow (Figs. 212, 214, 317) ; starch 

 grains ellipsoidal or somewhat ovoid, slightly beaked, 15 to 60 /a in 

 diameter; secretion cells with suberized walls and yellowish, oily 

 contents ; trachese large, thin-walled, annular or reticulate ; scleren- 

 chymatous fibers long, thin-walled, with oblique pores. The 

 powder of African Ginger is dark yellow ov dark brown, more 

 aromatic and pungent, and has numerous fragments of cork. 



In Japan Ginger (p. 488) there are numerous compound 

 grains varying from 4 to 25 /a in diameter, while in Calcutta gin- 

 ger there are numerous spherical grains (15 to 25 jx) resembling 

 those of wheat. Exhausted ginger is sometimes used to adulterate 

 powdered ginger. If the exhaustion has been by means of water 

 the starch grains are somewhat altered. If the extraction has 

 been made with alcohol the yellowish-brown resinous cells are 

 not so pronounced. Ginger, particularly the decorticated varie- 

 ties, loses on keeping part of the pale yellowish oil, which is 



47 



