590
ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.
Several varieties are cultivated in this country; viz. the white oat,the black oat, the red oat, the Poland oat, the Friezland or Dutch oat,the potatoe oat, the Georgian oat, and the Siberian or Tartarian oat(Loudon’s Encycl. of Agricult)
Description. —Oats ( semina arena cruda) are too well known to needdescription. When deprived of their integuments, they are called groats(semina integumentis nudata, L.; semina decorticata, E. arena excorticateseu grutum): these when crushed, are denominated Embden groats. Oat-meal (arena satires farina ex seminibus, E.; farina ex seminibus D.) isprepared by grinding the grains. It is not so white as wheaten flour,and has a somewhat bitterish taste.
Composition. —The grains consist, according to Vogel, of meal fid)and bran 34. The dried meal is composed of fixed oil 2'0, bitter matterand sugar 8'25, gum 2 - 5, grey albuminous matter 4'3, starch 59, huskand loss 23'95,
Chemical Characteristics. —Iodine forms the blue iodide of starchwith the cold decoction of oats.
Physiological Effects. —Oatmeal is nutritive, though less so thanwheaten flour. “ It is especially the food of the people of Scotland , andwas formerly that of the northern parts of England ; countries whichhave always produced as healthy and as vigorous a race of men as anVother in Europe ” (Cullen, Mat. Med. i. 278). Unfermented oat-bread(panis arenacea), in those unaccustomed to it, is apt to occasion dyspepsiawith heartburn, and was formerly thought to have a tendency to causeskin diseases, but without just grounds. Considered medicinally, groatsand oatmeal are nutritious, easily digestible, and yield an excellent dietfor the invalid.
Uses. —In medicine we employ gruel prepared from groats or oatmealas a mild, nutritious, and easily digested article of food in fevers andinflammatory affections. In poisoning by acrid substances, it is employed as an emollient and demulcent. It is given after the use of p lir 'gatives, to render them more efficient and less injurious. Poultices aresometimes made with oatmeal.
Decoctuu Avenje ; Water Gruel.— This is prepared by boiling anounce of oatmeal with three quarts of water to a quart, constantly stirring ’strain, and, when cold, decant the clear liquid from the sediment. Sugar?acids, or aromatics, may be employed for flavouring (Cullen, op. cit)
Pulvis pro Cataplasmate, D.—Linseed, which remains after theexpression of the oil, one part; oatmeal, two parts. Mix. This is ajjunnecessary formula. Moreover, it is a bad one; for linseed-meal shorn®be prepared from impressed flax seed. The Cataplasma simplex, f -is prepared by mixing this powder with as much boiling water as " Vform a cataplasm, which should be smeared over with olive oil. ^ 1used as an emollient application to allay pain and promote suppuration-