ALTERA (523 



Action and Uses. — Tragacanth is a demulcent, but ia 

 chiefly used in the preparation of mixtures and emulsions to 

 suspend oils, resins and insoluble powders. 



Altera. Althaea. (U. S. P.) 



/S'ynonj/TO.— Marshmallow root, E.; raeine de guimauve, 

 Fr. ; altheewurzel, eibischwurzel, G.; radix althseae, P.G. 



The root of Althssa officinalis Linne (nat. ord. Malvaceae). 



Habitat. — N. and W. Asia and Europe. Cultivated iu 

 Europe, and naturalized in E. United States and Australia, 

 growing in salt marshes. 



Constituents. — 1, bassorin, 35 per cent.; 2, pectin, 10 per 

 cent.; 8, asparagin, 1 per cent.; 4, sugar. 



Action and Uses. — Althaea is occasionally employed as a 

 demulcent in irritable conditions of the digestive canal, and 

 as a vehicle in the form of syrup. 



Saochaeum. Sugar. CuHj^On. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Saccharum purificatum,' B.P.; "refined sugar, 

 cane sugar, E.; sucre, sucre de canne, Er.; zucker, rohrzuc- 

 ker, G. ' 



The refined sugar obtained from Saccharum officinarum 

 Linne, and from various species or varieties of sorghum (nat. 

 ord. Graminese) ; also from one or more varieties of Beta 

 vulgaris Linne (nat. ord. Chenopodiacese). 



Habitat. — Indigenous in S. Asia, but cultivated in many 

 tropical and sub-tropical countries. 



Properties. — White, hard, dry, distinctly crystalline 

 granules, odorless, and having a purely sweet taste. Per- 

 manent in the air. Soluble in 0.5 part of water; in 0.2 part 



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