1122

ELEMENTS OF MATEHIA MEDIC A.

1 ('arti'T

had supposed that the red colour was owing to iron; but both Gay-Lussac anufound more iron in white than in red roses. Thus 1000 grains of the white rose I t j t ythe latter chemist 99 grains of ashes containing 12'4 of iron ; while the like ( l'!j ron-of the red rose yielded 50 grains of ashes, in which were only 4 grains of oxide ot

Physiological Effects and Uses.— Red-rose leaves are mild ;ist ^.gents and tonics; but their power is exceedingly slight, and scardeserves notice. By the Arabian physicians Avicenna and Mesue ? pwell as by more recent writers, lliverius, Kruger, and others, c0IlS , „of roses was esteemed a valuable remedy in phthisis (Murray?

Med. iii- 168). At the present time red-rose leaves are principally " ^for their colour and flavour. They yield several officinal prepara iwhich are valuable as fonning elegant vehicles for the exhibition olmore active medicines. The full-blown flowers are said to be as lax ^as those of R. centifolia. “ Poterius relates that he found a drac upowdered red roses occasion three or four stools, and this not iu^ *®' - s?stances, but constantly, in an extensive practice for several years A

Mat. Med.) infill

1. Infusum Rosje compositum, L. Infusum Rosa, E. ^ . C( 1Rosa acidum, D. Infusion of Roses. —(Petals of Rosa gallica [ < l e l l ’;*; sS .of their claws, D.], dried, 5iij. [gss. D.] ; Diluted Sulphuric Acid? r[f5iij. D.] ; Sugar [pure, E. refined, D.], 3vj. [Siss. D.] ; Boiling ' v a[distilled, L.], Oj. [Oiij. D.] Pour the Water upon the Rose P e ^?jf anglass vessel; then mix in the Acid . Macerate for six hours [n t0hour, D.] , and strain the liquor [when cool, ZX] ; lastly add the su 0 y.it, L. D. —The Edinburgh College infuses the petals in the water lor a( ]j shours, in a vessel of glass or porcelain, not glazed with lead;

the acid, strains through linen or calico, and dissolves the sugar tfrSstrained liquor.) The lengthened maceration of six or even fouris unnecessary. An hour, or perhaps even half an hour, is ‘P 1 !ficient. Infusion of roses is a mild but very agreeable re , >u) <)rand astringent, and is a very pleasant drink in febrile disorders, al) trliages, diarrhoea, and colliquative sweats. It forms a very e , jj a tevehicle for other medicines, as for saline purgatives (especially sU 1 ( - 0l -of magnesia, the unpleasant taste of which it serves greatly to coi cdisulpliate of quinia (which is dissolved in the water by the free so g C ipi'acid, which also serves to prevent the tannic acid of the roses P r g j o0 s,tating the quinia), the mineral acids, bitter tinctures and lU jjg,

alum, &c. It serves as a very useful gargle; for which purpose ^

nitre, alum, or tincture of capsicum, are usually conjoined. 01 c< ? 1 , ^ ithalkalies and the earths, as well as their carbonates, are incompab joit; they neutralize the acid, and change the colour of the prepara^green. Sulphate of iron communicates a deep olive colour,some hours causes a precipitate. The sulphuric acid of 1 j byof roses decomposes and destroys the activity of acetate of ^ 0 fforming sulphate of lead. It is a common practice, however,course among ignorant practitioners only, to administer, in heme'a pill composed of acetate of lead and opium, and at the same i ^ fjij-sion of roses ! (see p. 518). The dose of infusion of roses is 1 J P e qiii'Each f3j. contains 4{iq of dilute sulphuric acid, which are near Jvalent to three-sevenths of a minim of strong sulphuric acid.

2. Confectio Rosje gallicje, L. Conserves Rosa, E- D- : cC tiuSof Red Roses .—(Petals of the Rosa gallica [petals of the buds? J