270 
FERULA ASSAF(ETIDA. 
most powerful of the vegetable astringents. As an internal medicine, 
galls may be considered applicable to the same disorders as the oak 
bark ; and from being readily reduced to a fine powder, possesses 
an advantage over it ; but they are more frequently used externally, 
in the form of gargles or injections. One part of finely powdered 
galls, combined with seven parts of simple ointment, has been found 
an excellent application in haemorrhoidal affections. 
Off. The Gall. 
Off. Pp. Tinctura Gallarum, E. D. 
— 
FERULA ASSAF(ETIDA. 
Assafcetida* 
Class Pentandria. — Order Digyi^ia. 
Nat. Ord. Umbellate. 
Gen. Char. Fruit oval, compressed, plane, with three 
streaks on each side. 
Spec. Char. Radical Leaves from six to seven, bipinnate. 
PinncB alternate, variously sinuated. Umbels compound 
plano-convex, terminal, and consist of many radii. 
This species of Ferula is a native of the south of Persia, growing 
on the mountains in the provinces of Chorasaan and Laar, where 
it is named Hingisch. The following description we copy from 
Kaempfer, who saw the plant growing, during his travels in Asia.f 
The root is perennial, tapering, ponderous, and attains the 
size of a man's arm or leg, covered with blackish coloured bark» 
and near the top beset with many strong rigid fibres ; the in- 
ternal substance is white, fleshy, and abounds with a thick, foetid. 
* Fig. a. and b. the seed. c. The corolla, magnified, 
t Vide Amoenitates Exotica;, p. 535, 53ti. 
