Rosa Centifolia. Cabbage-Rose Petals. The fresh petals of Rosa centifolia, the Cabbage, Damask, or Hundred-leaved Rose; [The petals of Rosa centifolia. U. S.] Lin. Syst., Icosandria polygynia; cultivated in Europe; a native of Persia and the Caucasus. The petals should be obtained from plants cultivated in Britain. Description. The petals, familiar to all, are ordered to be used when fresh, as they lose their odour by drying. They have a sweetish-bitter and faintly astringent taste.

Prop. & Comp. Odour fragrant, depending upon a volatile oil; besides this, some colouring matter, and a slight laxative principle exist in the petals, and a trace of tannic or gallic acid. The volatile oil, known under the name of Attar of Roses, is prepared in India; a very small quantity exists in the rose petals.

Off. Prep. Aqua Rosae. Rose Water. (Fresh petals of the hundred-leaved rose, ten pounds; water, two gallons. Let a gallon distil.)

Therapeutics. Rose water is used only as an agreeable vehicle for the administration of medicines; much employed in making lotions.

Dose.. Of aqua rosae, ad libitum.

Rosa Gallica. Red Rose Petals. The fresh and dried petals of the unblown flower of Rosa gallica, the Red or French Rose; [The petals of Rosa gallica. U. S.] Lin. Syst, Icosandria po-lygynia; grows in Austria and South of Europe; cultivated in England. Description. The flower-buds deprived of the calyx and claws are employed in medicine; they are about the size of a nutmeg, of a purplish-red colour, with an astringent taste, and a roseate odour, developed by drying.

Prop. & Comp. The petals contain red colouring matter, tannic or gallic acid, and a trace of volatile oil; the colour is acted on by light. An infusion of the petals becomes bright red with acids, and green with alkalies.

Off. Prep. Confectio Rosae. Confection of Roses. (Fresh red rose petals, one pound; sugar, three pounds. Pound the rose petals in a stone mortar; add the sugar, and pound them again until incorporated.) [Red Rose, in fine powder, four troy ounces; sugar, in powder, thirty troy ounces; clarified honey, six troy ounces; rose water, eight fluid ounces. Rub the rose with the rose water heated to 180°; gradually add the sugar and honey beating the whole together. U. S.]

Infusum Rosae Acidum. Acid Infusion of Roses. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Red rose petals, a quarter of an ounce; dilute sulphuric acid, one fluid drachm; boiling distilled water, ten fluid ounces.) It is of a bright red colour, from the action of the sulphuric acid on the colouring matter.

Syrupus Rosae Gallicae. Syrup of Red Roses. (Dried red rose petals, two ounces; refined sugar, thirty ounces; boiling distilled water, one pint. The product should weigh two pounds fourteen ounces, and should have the sp. gr. 1.335.)

[The U. S. P. directs a tincture to be made by percolation with 16 diluted alcohol, and the syrup is made from this by the addition of water and sugar.]

Therapeutics. Red rose petals are astringent, from tannin or gallic acid; they are, however, often used on account of their colouring matter. The confection is employed as a pill basis, occasionally as a slight astringent, and is applied in aphthous conditions of the mouth in the form of a linctus. The acid infusion makes an excellent gargle, and is given internally as an astringent or as a vehicle for more powerful medicines, as Epsom salts, sulphate of quina, etc. A preparation made with honey, mel rosae, not now officinal, is a favourite astringent application to aphthae in children.

Dose. Of the confection, 60 gr. or more; of the acid infusion, 1 fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz.; of the syrup, 1 fl. drm. or more, if given internally.

Rosa Canina. Hips. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] The fresh fruit of Rosa canina, the Dog Rose, and other allied species; Lin. Syst., Icosandria polygynia; indigenous.

Description. The ripe fruit of indigenous plants deprived of their hairy seeds (achenes), an inch or more in length, ovate, scarlet, smooth, shining; taste sweet, subacid, pleasant.

Prop. & Corny. The pulp contains citric and malic acids, with citrates, malates, sugar, a little tannin, and a trace of volatile oil.

Off. Prep. Confectio Rosae: Caninae. Confection of Hips. (Hips, carefully deprived of their seeds, one pound; refined sugar, two pounds. Rub the pulp, gradually adding the sugar, until thoroughly incorporated.)

Therapeutics. A slight refrigerant, also somewhat astringent. In the form of the confection it is used to form a linctus, and also as a pill basis.

Dose. Of confection, 60 gr., or more.

Tormentilla. Tormentil. The rhizome of Potentilla tormentilla; Lin. Syst., Icosandria polygynia; indigenous. (Not officinal.)

Description. The rhizome is oblong in shape, knotty, and has numerous radicles attached to it, of a dark brown colour externally, and reddish-brown within.

Prop. & Comp. Tormentilla has a very astringent taste, contains about 17 per cent. of tannic acid, also colouring and gummy matters, and a trace of volatile oil.

Therapeutics. A powerful astringent, given sometimes in diarrhoea; also in the form of decoction as a gargle or injection: it may be used in all cases where the use of tannin is indicated.

Dose. Of powdered tormentil, 20 gr. to 60 gr., or more; of decoction (2 oz. to the 20 fl. oz.), 1 fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz.

Cydonium. Quince Seed. The seed of Cydonia vulgaris, the common Quince; Lin. Syst., Icosandria pentagynia; grows in the South of Europe and Candia. (Not officinal.) [Officinal in II. S. P.]

Description. The seeds are ovate, pointed, convex on one side, and flattened on the other; of a brownish colour; the seed-coat contains much mucilage, which it yields to boiling water.

Prop. & Comp. The mucilage from the seeds has the properties of other mucilage, being precipitated by both acetate and diacetate of lead.

Therapeutics. A demulcent, used externally, in the form of decoction or mucilage (1/4 oz. to 20 fl. oz.), to cracks in the skin, etc.