PHARMACY. 



to separate them from all adventitious 

 matters. As a general rule, they must be 

 Defended from the effects of moisture, 

 great heat, cold, and freely exposed to the 

 air. Yet when their activity and virtue 

 depend on volatile principles, instead 

 of being freely exposed to the air, they 

 must be confined, as much as possible, 

 from its contact. 



The vegetable kingdom affords us the 

 most numerous articles; these should ra- 

 ther be obtained from countries in which 

 they grow naturally, than countries in 

 which they merely grow by transplanta- 

 tion ; and those which grow wild, in dry 

 soils, and exposed situations, fully open 

 to the air and the sun, are for the most 

 part to be preferred to plants that are cul- 

 tivated, or that grow in moist, low, shady, 

 and confined situations. Annual roots 

 should be collected before they shoot 

 forth their stalks or flowers ; biennial 

 roots in the harvest of their first year, or 

 the spring-time of their second ; peren- 

 nial roots either in the spring time before 

 the sap has begun to mount, or in har- 

 vest after it has returned. Worm-eaten 

 or decayed roots, except in a few cases 

 of resinous plants, are to be rejected ; 

 the rest are to be cleaned immediately 

 with a brush and cold water ; immersing 

 them in the water as short a time as pos- 

 sible, and cutting oft' the radicles and fi- 

 bres when not essential. Roots which 

 consist chiefly of fibres, and have but a 

 small sap, may be dried at once ; if juicy 

 and not aromatic, in a heat somewhat be- 

 low 100 of Fahrenheit; but if aromatic, 

 by simply exposing them to a current of 

 cold dry air, and frequently turning them 

 in it. If very thick and strong, they 

 must be split and cut into slices', and 

 strung upon threads; if covered with a 

 tough bark they may be peeled and dried 

 while fresh. Such as lose their virtues by 

 drying are to be kept buried in dry sand. 



It is difficult to lay down general rules 

 for collecting stalks and leaves, some of 

 which acquire, while others lose their ac- 

 tivity by age. Aromatics should be col- 

 lected after the flower-buds are formed; 

 non-aromatics, if annuals, when in flower, 

 or about to flower; biennials before they 

 shoot; and perennials before they flower, 

 especially the woody -fibred. They should 

 be gathered in dry weather, after the 

 morning dew is off, or before it falls in 

 the evening. Generally speaking, they 

 should be tied in bundles, and hung up in 

 a shady, warm, and airy place, or spread 

 upon the floor, and frequently turned. 



If very juicy, they are to be laid upon a 

 sieve, and dried by a gentle degree of 

 artificial warmth. Sprouts are to' be col- 

 lected before the buds open ; and stalks 

 to be gathered in autumn. Harks arc to 

 be collected when the most active parts 

 of the vegetable are concentrated in 

 them. Spring is preferred for resinous 

 barks, and autumn for the others which 

 are rather gummy than resinous. Young 

 trees afibrd the best bark for medical pur- 

 poses. 



The same rules apply to the collection 

 of woods; but they must not be taken 

 from very young t; ees. Among the re- 

 sinous woods, the heaviest, which sink in 

 water, are selected. The alburnum is to 

 be rejected. 



Flowers are collected in clear dry wea- 

 ther, before noon, but after the dew is 

 ofF; either when they are just about to 

 open, or immediately after they have 

 opened. Of some the petals only are 

 preserved, and the colourless claws are 

 even cut away; of others, whose calyx is 

 'odorous, the whole flower is kept. Flow- 

 ers which are too small to be pulled 

 singly, are dried with part of the stalk: 

 these are called heads or tops. 



Flowers are to be dried nearly as leaves, 

 but more quickly, and with more atten- 

 tion. As they must not be exposed to 

 the sun, it is best done by a slight degree 

 of artificial warmth. When they lose 

 their colour and smell they are unfit for 

 use. 



Seeds and fruits, unless when other- 

 wise directed, are to be gathered when 

 ripe, but before they fall spontaneously. 

 Some pulpy fruits are freed from their 

 core and seeds, strung upon thread, and 

 dried artificially. They are in general 

 best preserved in their natural coverings, 

 although some, as the colocynth, are 

 peeled, and others, as the tamarind, pre- 

 served fresh. Many of these are apt to 

 spoil, or become rancid; and as they are 

 then no longer fit for medical use, no 

 very large quantity of them should be 

 collected at a time. 



The proper drying of vegetable sub- 

 stances is of the greatest importance. It 

 is often directed to be done in the shade, 

 and slowly, that the volatile and active 

 particles may not be dissipated by too 

 great heat ; but this is an error, for they 

 always lose infinitely more by slow than 

 by quick drying. When, on account of 

 the colour, they cannot be exposed to the 

 sun, and the warmth of the atmosphere 

 is insufficient, they should be dried by an 



