274 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



Medical Properties. — They are a very mild astringent, but sometimes act 

 as a laxative. These properties, however, are of very little importance, as 

 their principal use in pharmacy is as a colouring ingredient in certain mix- 

 tures. The infusion, with the addition of sulphuric acid, is an agree- 

 able refrigerant and astringent in some cases. The confection is a very com- 

 mon pill basis, and it is for this purpose that the article is principally em- 

 ployed. 



2. R. centifolia, Linn. — Prickles unequal, large, somewhat curved. Leaflets glandu- 

 lar at the margin. Flowers somewhat drooping. Calyx glandulose, hispid. Fruit oblong. 



Linn, Sp. PL 704 ; Redoute, Roses, i. 25, 37,. &c. ; Stephenson and 

 Churchill, 1. c. ; Lindley, Mon. 64. 



Common Names. — Cabbage Rose ; Hundred-leaved Rose, &c. 



Foreign Names. — Rose a cent feuilles, Fr.; Rosa centifoglie, It.; Die 

 Centifolienrose, Gr. 



Description. — It is impossible to draw up a description of this rose that would be ap- 

 plicable to all its varieties. It may be generally stated that it is a taller plant than the 

 R. gallica, and that the edges of the leaves are furnished with minute glands, and that its 

 fruit is more or less elongated. De Candolle admits of seventeen distinct varieties, but 

 upwards of a hundred are cultivated in the gardens ; of these varieties the most striking 

 is the Moss Rose, so highly esteemed for the beauty of its half-expanded flowers. 



Although this is the officinal species, the petals of almost every other culti- 

 vated rose are employed for the purposes for which it is designated. Lind- 

 ley is of opinion that it is a native of Asia ; but it is generally stated to be 

 indigenous to the south of Europe, and Sir J. E. Smith considers it as a 

 mere variety of R. gallica. The parts used are the petals of the fully-ex- 

 panded flowers, well dried, or preserved by means of salt. Their taste is 

 sweetish, yet acidulous and bitter. They contain a volatile oil, gallic acid, a 

 sweet extractive, colouring matter, &c. Their principal use is for the prepa- 

 ration of Rose water, and the volatile oil well known under the name of Attar 

 of Roses. The fragrance of the Rose, although extremely pleasant to most 

 persons, acts injuriously in some cases ; and numerous instances are recorded 

 where it caused grave accidents. 



Rose water, so much used as a perfume and flavouring ingredient, and also 

 in some pharmaceutical preparations, is obtained by distilling eight pounds of 

 Rose leaves, with two gallons of water, and drawing off a gallon. This re- 

 quires to be redistilled, or some alcohol added to it to preserve it ; for phar- 

 maceutical purposes the first is the best plan, as the addition of the spirit ren- 

 ders it unfit for some medicinal uses. 



The attar of roses is prepared in Persia and other Asiatic countries ; but, 

 with all the aid of science, very little of it can be obtained in Europe. 

 In the Asiatic Researches, Colonel Polier has thus described the mode of its 

 preparation. Forty pounds of roses, with their calyces, are put in a still with 

 sixty pounds of water. The mass being well mixed, a gentle fire is put under 

 the still ; and when the fumes begin to rise, the cap and pipe are properly 

 fixed and luted. When the product begins to come over, the fire is gradually 

 lessened, and the distillation continued until half the water has distilled off; 

 this requires four or five hours. This is to be poured upon another forty 

 pounds of roses, and above twenty pounds of product drawn off. This is 

 poured into pans, and left exposed to the air for a night. The attar is found 

 congealed and floating on the surface in the morning, when it is carefully re- 

 moved ; when a certain quantity is obtained, it is cleared of any water and 

 impurities. The remaining water is used for fresh distillations. The quan- 

 tity of attar thus produced is very small, as, under the most favourable cir- 





