POWDERED DRUGS AND FOODS. 737 



soidal, 7 to 20 /i in diameter, single or 2- to 3-compound, point of 

 origin of growth circular or slightly cleft ; endodermal cells thick- 

 ened on the inner, tangential wall. The powders of Veratrum 

 album and Veratrum viride cannot be distinguished one from 

 the other by their microscopic characters, but appear to differ 

 chemically, a mount of V. viride in concentrated sulphuric acid 

 having a yellow-ish-red color and that of V. album a dull red 

 color. , The so-called powdered hellebore, used -as an insecticide 

 by gardeners consists of either V. album or V. viride, the former 

 being mostly employed. 

 {' 



b. CALCIUM OXALATE WANTING. 



a Stone Cells Present. 



60. CALUMBA. — Bright yellow (Figs. 198; 302, H) ; stone 

 cells containing one or more monoclinic prismatic crystals of 

 calcium oxalate; starch grains single, irregular, 25 to 35 /n long, 

 with excentral and distinct lamellae. 



j8 Stone Cells Wanting. 

 I. Starch Grains 15 to 30 /* in Diameter. 



61. ZINGIBER. — Light yellow (Figs. 212, 300, 317) ; starch 

 grains ellipsoidal or somewhat ovoid, slightly beaked, 15 to 30 /* in 

 diameter; secretion cells with suberized walls and yellowish, oily 

 contents ; tracheae large, thin-walled, annular or reticulate ; scleren- 

 chymatous fibers long, thin-walled, with oblique pores. The 

 powder of African Ginger is dark yellow or dark brown, more 

 aromatic and pungent, and has numerous fragments of cork. 



In Japan Ginger (p. 488) the starch grains are as large as in 

 the Jamaica variety, btit are broadly ovoid and with distinct 

 lamellae; 2- to 3-compound starch grains also occur. Exhausted 

 ginger is sometimes used to adulterate powdered ginger. If the 

 exhaustion has been by means of water the starch grains are some- 

 what altered. If the extraction has been made with alcohol the 

 yellowish-brown resinous cells are not so pronounced. Ginger, 

 particularly the decorticated varieties, loses on keeping part of 



47 



