DEADLY NIGHTSHADE — DIAPENTE. 69 



DEMULCENTS. Medicines which have 

 the power of diminishing the effect of acri- 

 monious, or stimulating substances, upon 

 the sensible parts of the body. There are 

 two sorts of demulcents ; the one, pos- 

 sessing an oily or mucilaginous quality, 

 sheathes the sensible part, and thereby de- 

 fends it from the action of the stimulus ; the 

 other being a watery fluid, dilutes the sti- 

 mulus, and diminishes in a certain deorree 

 its power. Among the former may be 

 reckoned, gum arabic, gum tragant, and 

 marshmallow, with various oils : the latter 

 consists principally of water. 



DEOBSTRUKNTS. Medicines that re- 

 move obstructions. 



DETERGENTS. A term employed ia 

 surgery, for those applications which have 

 the power of cleansing foul ulcers, and in- 

 ducing a disposition to heal. 



DIAPENTE. A compound powder much 

 used by farriers, as a tonic, or stomachic, it 

 is composed of gentian root, bay beriies, 

 bithwort, myrrh, and shavings of ivory, of 

 each equal parts ; the last article, as well as 

 tlie myrrh are now general]}' omitted. This 

 powder is very inferior to those formulae, or 



