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PHARMA COGNOSY. 
they are characterized by being narrow-ellipsoidal, 
feebly aromatic and of a more or less disagreeable taste. 
False nutmegs, consisting of exhausted powdered nut- 
megs or defective nutmegs and mineral matter, have 
been found in European markets occasionally. 
GOSSYPIUM PURIFJCATUM (Absorbent Cotton). 
The hairs of the seeds of Gossypium herbaceum, Gos- 
sypium barbadense, and other species of Gossypium 
(Fam. Malvaceae), biennial or triennial shrubs indige- 
nous to subtropical Asia and Africa, and cultivated 
in all tropical and subtropical countries. The seeds 
are hand-picked, freed from dust by screens or drums, 
and the cotton removed in the cotton-gin. It is then 
freed from mechanical impurities, deprived of fatty and 
other substances and finally bleached. 
Description. — A white soft tufted mass, consisting 
of somewhat flattened, twisted and spirally striate one- 
celled non-secreting hairs, from 2'5 to 4’5 cm. long ; 
inodorous and tasteless. 
Absorbent cotton is soluble in ammoniacal solution 
of cupric oxide, yields less than 1 per cent, of ash, and 
on treating it with water the solution should have a 
neutral reaction and not give any reaction with am- 
monium carbonate, barium chloride, mercuric chloride 
or silver nitrate. 
Adulterants. — Various substances may be added 
to absorbent cotton to increase the rate of absorption 
of water, as chlorides of calcium, magnesium and zinc, 
glycerin and glucose ; as loading materials, barium and 
calcium salts and clay are added to inferior grades of 
the article. 
GUAKANA. 
A dried paste consisting of the crushed seeds of Paul- 
linia Cupana (Fam. Sapindaceae), a climbing shrub 
