NEW AMERICAN REMEDIES. 
22 
branched. It is commonly much twisted, and furnished on its outer surface with 
numerous thick, hard projections, which vary in length generally, from about a 
line to a quarter or even half an inch; hence it presents a very irregular and 
somewhat coralline appearance. 
In length it varies from about one inch to three or four inches, averaging one 
inch and a half to two inches. It is from one-quarter of an inch to a half or 
rarely three-quarters of an inch in thickness, averaging a little above one-quarter 
of an inch. Jt has an irregular, cylindrical shape, and is frequently somewhat 
flattened on one side. Externally it presents a wrinkled appearance, from the 
presence of numerous transverse striae and depressions, and of irregularly longi¬ 
tudinal furrows. Projecting from the surface, also, as just noticed, are nume¬ 
rous hard tubercular expansions, of varying length. Traces of the rootlets and 
leaves may also be found on some of the rhizomes. The rhizome has a dark- 
reddish, or umber-brown colour externally, and a reddish-gray or pale flesh-colour 
internally. It has a compact, firm texture, and a short, close, and in some cases, 
a resinous-like fracture. A transverse section shows a large central mass of a 
reddish flesh-colour, surrounded by a thin, dark-brown cortical portion. The 
rhizome has no evident odour, but it possesses a very astringent taste, without, 
however, any perceptible bitterness. 
Composition and Chemical Characteristics. —The first-recorded exami¬ 
nation of the rhizomes and rootlets of the Geranium maculatum is that of Dr. 
Bigelow, who found that the solution indicated the presence of both tannic and 
gallic acids. He also states that the solution affords a more abundant preci¬ 
pitate with gelatine, than kino on being similarly treated. He further adds that 
the solution did not affect litmus ; but this is opposed to the experiments of Dr. 
Staples,* and to those recorded below by myself, for we have both found that the 
solution had an evident action on litmus. The more complete analysis of the 
rhizome by Dr. Staplesf shows that it contains, besides fibrous substances com¬ 
mon to plants, gallic acid in large quantity, tannic acid , mucilage in small pro¬ 
portion, red colouring-matter, principally in the external covering of the rhizome, 
resin in small quantity, and a crystallizable vegetable substance. 
A still more and complete analysis, made by the Messrs. Tilden, of the Hew 
York State, North America, gave the following results of the examination of 
seven thousand grains of the rhizome: J— 
Inorganic matter . 1,024 
Organic matter . 5,976 
Viz. of 
Albumen. 
Gain . 
Gallic acid . 
Tannin. 
Colouring-matter . 
Extractive . 
Pectin .. 
Sugar ... 
Starch . 
Resin, soluble in ether . 
Resin, soluble in alcohol. 
Oleo-resin, soluble in ether only 
Chlorophyll . 
Soluble salts . 
Insoluble salts. 
Ligneous, etc. 
Total. 7,000 grains. 
* Amer. Journ. Pharm., vol. i. p. 171. * f Id. 
X Lee on Medicinal Plants, in ‘American Journal of Materia Medica/ July, 1859. 
7,000 
96 grains, 
80 
11 
120 
11 
136 
11 
168 
11 
224 
7) 
160 
11 
200 
11 
240 
11 
224 
n 
216 
11 
20 
11 
8 
ii 
320 
ii 
704 
ii 
4,084 
ii 
