MULBERRY, BLACK, Medical uses of. The fruit (popularly, but incorrectly, termed a berry, being botanically a some's) of the hlorus niger, is officinal in Britain. It is formed by a partial union of the enlarged and fleshy mlices, each calyx enclosing a dry membranous perimrp. It is at first green, then red, and at last of a deep violet black, and contains much juice of a like colour. It has much mucilage, an astringent resin, sugar, which gives it a sweetish taste, an acid, termed tartario by some, malio by others. The officinal form is a syrup, to prepare which the fruit should bo gathered before it is quite ripe. Tin or copper vessels, or any dish lined with either of these metals, should be avoided in making it—porcelain vessels are best. A vinegar, similar to raspberry vinegar, may be prepared with this fruit, which, like the syrup when mixed with water, forms a pleasant, cooling, refrigerant drink in febrile diseases, or as a gargle in simple inflam matory sore-throat. But the syrup is chiefly used as a colouring
Ingredient. The fruit is susceptible of many other uses, economic and domestic. Too free indulgence in the fruit, even when fully ripe, is liable to cause diarrhoea. Many of the fruits drop from the trees long before they are ripe, and are apt to be picked up and eaten by children. No unnpo fruit causes such severe griping. An emetic followed by rhubarb is necessary. The root of the mulberry is an tholmin tic.
The wood of the Jlorus tinctoria, Linn. (Broussonctia tinctorie, Kunth; Maeluria aurantiaca, Nutt.) contains a valuable colouring principle, which Chevreul has termed mono. The Bois jaunt is the French name of this tree. (See Chcvreul, Leven de Chimie appliqu5o a la teinture.,