370 MATERIA MEDIC A AND THERAPEUTICS. 



ACTION AND USES. 



Sugar is nutrient and demulcent, but is chiefly used in 

 medicine to cover the taste of other drugs. 



Theriaca TREACLE (SACCHARI F^EX). The un- 

 crystallised residue of the refining of sugar. 



Characters. A thick brown fermentable syrup, very 

 sweet. 



Theriaca is an ingredient of a number of pills. 



ACTION AND USES. 



Treacle is demulcent, nutrient, and slightly laxative, and 

 is employed in pharmacy to make pills. 



Coto Bark CORTEX YERUS. Paracoto Bark 



CORTEX PARA. (Not Officinal) The barks of two 

 allied trees, from Bolivia. 



Characters. Coto bark resembles cinchona bark, with an 

 aromatic resinous odour, and a pungent taste. 



Composition. Coto verus contains coto'in, C^H-^Og, yel- 

 lowish, amorphous or finely crystalline, with a balsamic odour 

 and a bitter taste ; nearly insoluble in water, soluble in spirit. 

 Para bark contains paracoto'in, C 19 H l2 6 , in minute pale crystals ; 

 insoluble in water. 



Dose. Of coto in powder, 1 to 8 gr. ; of cotoin, ^ to 2 gr. ; 

 of paracoto'in, 1 J to 3 gr. 



Non-officinal Preparations. 



Cotoin ; Paracotoin ; and a Tincture, given in doses of 10 

 min. 



ACTION AND USES. 



The only physiological effect of coto is as an intestinal 

 astringent. It is useful in some cases of persistent subacute 

 diarrhoea, as in phthisis and delicate subjects. 



FILICES. 



Filix Mas MALE FERN. The dried rhizome, 

 with the bases of the footstalks and portions of the 



