RHEUM.

813

hi

a jl lr *S an unusually white appearance: these I presume to be the kindf h K ^ * 0 ' (Consult Goebel and Kunze, Pharm. Waarenkunde.') Whiteft ba -rb is said to be the produce of R. leucorrhizum, Pallas {R. nanum,‘®'*ars).

'• Dutch-trimmed or Batavian Rhubarb, offic. ( Rlmharbe de Perse,kirt ° Ur t)‘ This kind of rhubarb is closely allied to, if it be not identicalv b the preceding in its texture. In commerce, however, it is alwaysWarded as distinct. It is imported from Canton and Singapore in

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f ^ ,ests > each containing from 130 to 140 lbs. It is probably Buchariaujj'barb of less fine quality sent by way of Canton, as mentioned byarray ( App.Med . vol. iv. p. 379), and which, in consequence, has beenIn v ^ confounded, by pharmacological writers, with Chinese rhubarb,for a I )e > s i ze > anc I general appearance, it resembles the Russian kind ;tii ■*^ le cor tical portion of the root seems to have been separated byS u <; ’ r % and hence the pieces have the same angular appearance on thef 0 a °e that the Russian rhubarb lias. The pieces are frequently per-tj^ted, and in the holes are found the remains of the cord by whichi s e r .oot has been suspended. In the drug-trade this kind of rhubarbar J' a,( I to be trimmed, and, according to the shape of the pieces, they.called flats or rounds. The colour and weight of the pieces are' ^able.

China or East Indian Rhubarb, offic. ( radix rhei chinensis, seuft lCl )—This kind is imported either directly from Canton, or indirectly byof'Rapore and other parts of the East Indies, and is probably the produce^hina, (especially of the province of Se-tchuen ; Du liable: of Hoo-j and Hoo-pih, as well as other provinces; GutzlafTe and Reed). It isSo ^° rte( I in chests. The pieces are frequently cylindrical or roundish, but'j.^tinies flattened; in trade they are distinguished as rounds and flats.

appear to have undergone a different process of preparation tot of Russian rhubarb. Thus the cortical portion of the root seemsl(;r to have been scraped than sliced off, and hence the surface is notgj, Aguiar; and on the worst pieces we observe the remains of thefL^oish-brown or blackish cortex. Among druggists this kind ofpj ar b is frequently termed half-trimmed or untrimmed rhubarb. Thek c . es are generally perforated with holes, in many of which we find^uions of the cords by which the pieces were suspended. These holes0 j. smaller than those observed in Russian rhubarb, and that portion>Df - 6 ro ° l forming their sides is usually dark-coloured, decayed, and ofth eri °r quality. The best pieces are heavier and more compact thany ?. Se of the Russian kind; they are covered with an easily separable^ °' v dust. When this is removed we observe that the surface is notRegularly reticulated, is more of a yellowish-brown than reddish whitel)i e ° Ur ’ an( I has coarser fibres than Russian rhubarb. On the fineris C6s ' Ve n °tice numerous star-like spots or depressions. The fractureUneven ; the veins, especially towards the middle, have a less deter-direction, and are of a duller or reddish-brown, and, in very bad

v B ; Ces ’ an umber-brown colour, with a gray substance between thee ms.

th odour °f this species is much less powerful than that of Russian tij Jad) > and is somewhat less aromatic. The taste, grittiness whene ' Ve d, and microscopic appearances, are similar to those of Russian