98 MADDER. 



Qualities and general Uses. — The herbaceous part of Madder, 

 cut in September, is reported to furnish excellent forage for cattle. 

 The stem and leaves are used for polishing' metals. The root, how- 

 ever, is by far the most valuable part of the plant. It dyes wool, silk, 

 and cotton of a red colour, which, if not of the most brilliant 

 kind, is so permanent as to resist the action of air and light, and 

 is not easily washed out. When properly prepared, it is equal, if 

 not superior, even to cochineal in colour. The most extraordinary 

 property belonging to the Madder is that of tinging the bones of 

 animals that feed upon it, of a red colour *. This colouration also 

 extends to the urine, the fasces, the bile, the milk, the serum of 

 the blood, according to Bohmer f ; and Levret J states that it some- 

 times tinged the excretion by the skin, and even the teeth §. It 

 is remarkable, however, that the muscles, tendons, cartilages and 

 membranes, are not affected. It appears that the solid or hardest 

 part of the bones first receives the red colour, which gradually 

 extends internally through the whole osseous substance, while the 

 animal continues to take the Madder ; but if it be alternately 

 intermitted and employed, the bones are found to be coloured in a 

 corresponding number of concentric circles. Experiments made 

 upon dogs, swine, and poultry, tend to prove that animals fed 

 exclusively on this root for several days or weeks, droop, languish, 

 become emaciated, and at length die. 



The root of Madder has a feeble, unpleasant odour, and a bitterish, 

 somewhat styptic taste, u as it were drying." It imparts to water a deep 

 red, and to alcohol a bright red tincture ; and both taste strongly of the 

 root. The aqueous infusion is scarcely affected by the acids, or a solution 

 of alum, and assumes merely a brownish tinge by the addition of sulphate of 

 iron. 



When cold water is digested upon Madder it dissolves gum, sugar, yellow 

 extractive, and free malic acid. The residue, boiled in water with a small ad- 

 dition of carbonate of soda, yields a dark red decoction, from which sulphuric 



* Mizaldus (Memorabil. centur. 7, aph. 91). It has been confirmed by 

 numerous authorities, and a full account is given in Philos. Trans, vol. 

 39 and 41. Other plants of the natural order Stellata, produce a 

 similar effect, as the root of Galium verum, G. Mollugo, G. Aparine, and 

 G. cruciatum ; Asperula tinctoria, &c. 



f Diss. rad. Rub. Tinct. &c, p. 13. 



X Sur les Accouchemens, p. 280. 



§ Losecke Wahrnehm, p. 76. 



