126 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



mucilaginous and earthy particles ; those 

 saline and acrimonious particles, in propor- 

 tion as they are more or less disengaged 

 from the mixture of mucilaginous and earthy 

 particles in which they stuck and were en- 

 tangled, the more or less they exert of their 

 stimulating force. Sometimes they excite 

 so great a commotion, as to press upon the 

 liver itself, and especially the gall-bladder, 

 whence may follow a double excretion of 

 bile ; which proves the root of extraordina- 

 ry efficacy in the jaundice. Its cathartic vir- 

 tue consists in its salts, and not at all in its 

 resin or oleous particles, as appears from its 

 tincture, which is extracted with water.* 



The rhubarb brought through Turkey is 

 generally preferred to that of the East Indies, 

 though for some purposes this last is equally 

 useful. Tinctures drawn from both with 

 rectified spirits have nearly the same taste 

 and virtue. 



* Hist. Plant, ascript. Boerhaave. 



