SPECIES OP PECULA EMPLOYED IN PHARMACY. 19 
globules do not exceed a millimetre, they are small angulated 
granulations, analogous to semoulia.* 
Finally, the fourth specimen, labelled rose colored sago, 
of the Moluccas, fig. 3, d, presented the smallest globules; they 
did not exceed a demi millimetre; some of them were white, 
others possessed a light rose colored tint. 
With the exception of the China sago, all these globules re- 
sumed a beautiful whiteness, after remaining an hour in water, 
and the grains of fecula were disintegrated by the least pressure. 
These were the differences which these varieties offered 
upon simple inspection. I endeavored in vain to discover 
others with the microscope. In all, the external layer is 
formed of an aggregation of torn integuments, half empty, and 
which became entirely so in water, fig. 2, a; in all, the next 
layer presented altered grains, which were corrugated, deli- 
cate, flattened on one side, but still distendedand round, from the 
contained soluble substance, and therefore refracting strongly 
the luminous rays, fig. 2, b. Finally, in the centre of the globule 
there were noticed entire grains of fecula, but of which the 
dimensions varied at each observation, and it was supposed 
that among molecules of such variable size and form, those of 
the same dimensions did not always chance to come to the 
centre. Hence it happened, that from a single observation 
there were established differences of character, with respect 
to the several varieties, which disappeared upon repeating the 
observation. The integuments the most dilated did not ex- 
ceed in the aggregate ) of a millimetre, and the most entire 
grains the The general form and aspect were identical, 
and such as have been established, ^g-. 2. Hence it results, 
that the fecula which has served to form these varieties of 
sago, was derived from the same genus of plants; that it has 
not been subjected to ebullition but to torrefaction; for ebulli- 
tion would have distended and not have torn the teguments, 
whilst by torrefaction the teguments of fecula assume the 
general forms of fig. 2, a. This fecula has been, while 
humid, submitted to torrefaction, without which all the 
*A kind of vermicelli. 
