Papilionaceae.

Glycyrrhiza. Liquorice root. The recent and dried root or underground stem of Glycyrrhiza glabra; Lin. Syst., Diadel-phia decandria: cultivated in England; the fresh root should be kept in dry sand.

Description. In cylindrical branched pieces, brown on the surface and yellow within, about the size of the little finger; tough and pliable; sweet and mucilaginous to the taste.

Prop. & Comp. Contains a peculiar sweet brownish substance, glycyrrhizine (C48 H36 O18); not fermentable nor crystalline; soluble in water and spirit; when boiled with hydrochloric acid, it is resolved into a resinous matter and glucose. Liquorice also contains asparagine, gum, mucilage, etc.

Off. Prep. Extractum Glycyrrhizae. Extract of Liquorice. (Obtained by maceration and percolation of liquorice root with water and subsequent evaporation to a proper consistence.)

Powdered liquorice root is contained in some pills, and other officinal preparations; and the extract in compound decoction of aloes and the confection of senna, etc.

Therapeutics. A sweet demulcent, useful in allaying cough, to sheathe the mucous membranes, etc, but more frequently employed on account of its sweetness to cover the taste of other medicines.

Dose. Of the extract, 10 gr. to 30 gr., rubbed up with water, etc.

Tragacantha. Tragacanth. The gummy juice (hardened in the air) exuding from the bark of Astragalus verus, the Milk Vetch, and possibly other species; Lin. Syst., Diadelphia decandria: collected in Asia Minor.

Description. In semi-transparent flakes, waved concentrically, rough, and difficult to powder, without odour or taste.

Prop. & Comp. Forms with water a very thick tenacious mucilage, and contains two distinct gums: Arabine, like that contained in gum Arabic, etc, about 53 per cent.; and Bassorine, a gum not soluble in water, and, therefore, suspended only in the mucilage, about 47 per cent.; by the action of alkalies, it is rendered soluble in water and converted into true gum; the prolonged action of boiling water produces a similar change in the nature of bassorine. Nitric acid converts it into mucic and oxalic acids.

Off. Prep. Mucilago Tragacanthae. Mucilage of Traga-canth. (Tragacanth, one hundred grains; boiling distilled water, ten fluid ounces.)

Pulvis Tragacanthae Compositus. Compound Tragacanth Powder. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Powdered tragacanth, powdered acacia, starch, each, one ounce; refined powdered sugar, three ounces.)

Therapeutics. Simply demulcent, used as gum Arabic; the mucilage is usefully employed to suspend heavy powders, as nitrate of bismuth, etc.

Dose. Of the powder, or of pulv. tragacanthae c, 20 gr., upwards; of the mucilage, 1 fl. oz. upwards.

Mucuna. Cowhage. (Not officinal.) [Officinal in U. S. P.] The hairs of the fruit of Mucuna pruriens, Cowhage plant; Lin. Syst, Diadelphia decandria: growing in the West Indies.

Description. The legume or pod is shaped like the italic letter f, about 4 inches long and J inch broad, coriaceous, and covered with numerous stiff, brown, stinging hairs, which have serrations near their points; these are removed, and employed in medicine.

Therapeutics. Cowhage has been used as an anthelmintic, and is supposed to act by its mechanical peculiarities, irritating the entozoa and thus causing expulsion. The watery or alcoholic solutions of mucuna do not possess the same powers.

Dose. Of an electuary of the hairs made with syrup, honey, or treacle, from a tea-spoonful to a table-spoonful, or more, followed after a short time by the administration of some purgative.

Scoparius. Broom tops. The fresh and dried tops of Saro-thamnus Scoparius (Spartium Scoparium), or Common Broom; [Cytisus Scoparius. U.S.] Lin. Syst., Diadelphia decandria: indigenous, and growing throughout Europe.

Prop. & Comp. The tops, when fresh, have a peculiar odour, which is lost in drying; the taste is bitter; they contain a neutral 15 principle, Scoparine (C20 H11 O10), which forms yellow crystals; also a liquid alkaloid, Sparteine (Cj6 H13 N); of a pale colour when fresh, but becoming brown on exposure; forming crystalline salts with bichloride of platinum and corrosive sublimate; besides which, extractive matters and salts are found in the tops.

Of. Prep. Decoctum Scoparii. Decoction of Broom. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Broom tops, dried, half an ounce; distilled water, ten fluid ounces; reduced to eight ounces by boiling.)

Succus Scoparii. Juice of Broom. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Expressed juice of fresh broom tops, three fluid parts; rectified spirit, one fluid part.)

Therapeutics. Broom tops have long been reputed diuretic; probably this action depends on the presence of one of the principles above noticed; the alkaline salts contained in the tops are sufficient to account for their activity, which in some cases is undoubted. Broom tops are especially useful in dropsies, depending on cardiac disease. In large doses they cause vomiting and purging.

Dose. Of decoctum scoparii, 1 fl. oz. to 3 fl. oz. Of succus scoparii, 1 fl. drm. to 1/2 fl. oz.

Pterocarpus. Red Sandal Wood. [Santalum. Red Saunders. U. S.] The wood of Pterocarpus santalinus, Red Saunder's Wood; Lin. Syst., Diadelphia decandria: growing in Coro-mandel and Ceylon.

Description. Sandal wood occurs in billets, which are dense, externally of a dark brown colour, internally, if cut transversely, hard-grained, variegated with dark and lighter red rings. The powder is blood-red, of a faint peculiar odour, with an obscurely astringent taste. The wood occurs also in chips.

Prop. & Comp. Sandal wood contains a principle called Santalin, crystalline and reddening in the air. The colour of the wood is extracted by alcohol and ether, and also by alkaline solutions.

Off. Prep. It gives colour to tinct. lavandulae comp.

Uses. No therapeutic action; used only as a colouring agent.