CRUDE DRUGS. 443 



siderable starch, which is colored red by iodine solution, distin- 

 guishing it from nutmeg starch. . Mace also contains from 2 to 4 

 per cent, of a dextrogyrate sugar. 



True mace should yield from 20 to 30 per cent, of non-volatile 

 ether extract, from 20 to 30 per cent, of starch, and not more than 

 3 per cent, of ash. 



Allied Plants. — Macassar or Papua mace, derived from 

 Myristica argentea, • is somewhat darker and with broader seg- 

 ments than true mace. It gives a cherry-red color ,\yith concen- 

 trated sulphuric ^cid, is very pungent and yields over 50 per cent, 

 of non-volatile ether extract, and less than 10 per cent, of starch. 



Bombay mace, or wild mace, is the product of Myristica mala- 

 barica; it is distinguished from true mace in that the entire mace 

 is narrow-ellipsoidal, the reticulations are not so coarse, the apex 

 is divided into numerous narrow lobes, and it is darker in color. 

 With alkalies or sulphuric acid wild mace assumes a darker color 

 than the true mace does. It is slightly aromatic-, but has little 

 value as a spice, and yields nearly 60 per cent, of non- volatile 

 ether extract. 



II. ROOTS AND RHIZOMES. 



Roots and rhizomes represent those parts of plants which 

 develop under ground, the latter having all of the characteristics 

 of stems except their manner of growth. Most drugs derived 

 from roots and rhizomes possess the typical characteristics of 

 these plant parts, the commercial products being readily distin- 

 guishable as such. There are some, however, that are more or 

 less intermediate in character, and, while commonly spoken of as 

 roots, they are in reality modifications of the stem, at least in 

 part, as aconite, gelsemium, glycyrrhiza and rhubarb. For this 

 reason, and in order to facilitate their study, roots and rhizomes 

 are here considered in one class, which is subdivided as follows : 

 (i) True Roots; (2) Rhizomes that are root-like, at least in part; 

 (3) True Rhizomes; (4) Corms; (5) Bulbs. 



Some of the roots and rhizornes that are employed in medi- 

 cine are prepared for market by removing a part of the periderm ; 

 in a general way this treatment is objectionable, particularly in 

 the case of those drugs containing volatile principles, as these 



