Note 651 — PHARMACOLOGIA. (continued 7)

The famous Helvetian Styptic, described in page 83, depended wholly on this accidental contamination for its colour, and it was no small mortification to our chemists, when this nostrum was first introduced amongst us, that they could not prepare it with our own spirits, but were obliged to be at the expense of true French Brandy. Our own Spirits, although equally coloured, would never produce a violet tincture; at length, however, the mystery was discovered, and the gall nut imparted to the tincture that characteristic colour which was so long considered essential to its efficacy; but the discovery threw discredit upon the nostrum, and it fell into disuse.