101 POTENTILLA TORMENTILLA 



times twisted or more or less branched or tuberculated ; it is 

 from one to two inches in length, half an inch or more thick, 

 and gives off below a variable number of small rootlets. It has 

 a dark reddish- or blackish-brown colour externally, and a reddish 

 or flesh-red colour internally ; it has no odour, but a very astrin- 

 gent taste. 



The principal constituent of tormentil is tannic acid in the pro- 

 portion when dried of nearly 18 per cent. : it also contains, according 

 to Rembold, kinovic acid; about 16 per cent, of substance called 

 tormentil-redj the red colouring matter of the drug, and having 

 the same composition as rhatany red ; and other unimportant con- 

 stituents. An infusion of tormentil acquires a blackish-green 

 colour on the addition of a persalt of iron. Its properties are 

 essentially due to tannic acid. Boiling water readily extracts its 

 virtues. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Tormentil has long been known 

 as a popular remedy in diarrhoea. It possesses powerful astrin- 

 gent properties ; but at present is but seldom prescribed by the 

 regular practitioner, its place being supplied by astringents of 

 foreign origin, such as rhatany, catechu, and kino. We believe 

 it, however, to be one of the best, of vegetable astringents, and 

 applicable in all diseases in which this class of medicines is indi- 

 cated. In the form of decoction it is a valuable internal remedy 

 in diarrhoea and chronic dysentery ; a useful wash or gargle in 

 spongy gums and ulceration of the mouth or tongue ; and a good 

 astringent injection in atonic leucorrhoea. It is also said to be very 

 efficacious in the dysenteries of cattle. 



Tormentil is also used (or was so till very recently) in the 

 Orkney and Faroe islands for tanning ; and in Lapland in the 

 preparation of a red dye. 



Steph. & Church., Med. Bot., by Burnett, pi. 26; Per. Mat. Med., 

 by B. & R., p. 817 ; U. S. Disp., by W. & B., p. 868; Amer. 

 Journ. Pharm., July, 1868, p. 311; Ann. der Chem. und 

 Pharm., vol. cxliv, p. 5; Adams, in Pharm. Journ., vol. vi, 

 2nd ser., pp. 158 and 260; Maisch, in Amer. Journ. of Pharm., 

 March, 1875, p. 109, and Pharm. Journ., vol. v, 3rd ser., p. 986. 



