228 
Chia  Seed. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Fharm. 
\       May,  188-.i 
embryo  with  the  radicle  pointing  towaixls  the  hihini,  and  a  wliite,  oily 
mucilaginous  substance,  much  resembling  unrendered  fat. 
The  seed  swells  to  about  twice  its  natural  size  in  water  and  yields  to 
it  very  readily  and  largely  its  mucilaginous  properties  forming  a 
thick  solution.  When  treated  with  hot  alcohol  a  solution  is  obtained 
which  becomes  cloudy  on  cooling  and  forms  white  scales  with  globules 
of  oil  on  the  side  of  the  vessel  and  a  clear  pale-yellowish  bland  oil  at 
the  bottom ;  with  ether  the  same  substances  are  obtained  with  more  of 
the  white  sediment;  this,  when  treated  wdth  solution  of  mercury  and 
nitric  acid,  acquires  a  reddish-brown  tinge.  The  mucilage  is  coagulated 
by  solution  of  more  chloride ;  and  when  the  seeds  are  immersed  in 
a  Aveak  solution  of  iron  they  refuse  to  yield  their  mucilaginous  sub- 
stance and  become  at  once  surrounded  with  a  congealed  mass ;  the 
mucilage,  when  treated  with  tincture  of  iodine,  gives  no  characteristic 
blue  color.  The  whitish  sediment  obtained  from  the  ether  solution^ 
when  mixed  with  potassa  solution,  and  heated,  becomes  flocculent.  The 
pale-yellowish  bland  oil  from  the  hot  alcohol  and  other  solutions  has 
a  taste  much  resembling  nut  oil  containing  a  trace  of  flaxseed  oil ; 
and  when  secured  by  expression  is  of  a  much  darker  color,  though 
somewhat  lighter  than  the  linseed  oil,  which  it  greatly  resembles,  both 
in  odor  and  taste ;  when  the  oil  is  boiled  long  it  becomes  of  a  deep 
dark-brown  color  and  more  marked  in  its  similarity  to  that  of  linseed 
thus  treated.  From  my  experiments  it  seems  probable  that  this  oil 
Avould  equal  that  of  the  flax  if  not  surpass  it.  Some  of  the  oil  left  in 
a  capsule  for  several  days  dried  well,  leaving  a  thin  coating  as  is 
noticed  in  other  oils  of  like  nature. 
The  seeds  are  inodorous  when  whole,  when  crushed  of  an  oily  odor, 
and  of  a  mucilaginous  oily  taste  very  much  like  ground  flaxseed.  The 
seeds  are  used,  to  quote  from  correspondence,  to  a  large  extent  by  the 
natives  and  foreigners  for  the  preparation  of  a  refreshing  drink  for 
the  sick.  This  is  prepared  by  adding  a  tablespoonful  of  the  seed  to  a 
tumblerful  of  cold  water,  and  after  half  an  hour  it  is  ready ;  generally 
it  is  sweetened  and  flavored  with  orange-flower  water.  This  mild 
and  cooling  beverage  will  be  found  very  efficient  in  fevers  when  great 
thirst  usually  troubles  the  invalid.  Its  demulcent  properties  are  well 
known  and  highly  valued  by  those  who  have  used  it ;  and  the  prac- 
titioner will  find  the  Chia  seed  a  mild  auxiliary  and  valuable  emol- 
lient. I  regard  it  as  superior  to  flaxseed  and  as  producing  much 
better  satisfaction. 
