quassation

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quas·sa·tion

(kwah-sā'shŭn),

The breaking up of crude drug materials, such as bark and woody stems, into small pieces to facilitate extraction and other treatment.

[L. quassatio, fr. quasso, pp. -atus, to shake violently, fr. quatio, to shake]

An obsolete term formerly applied to the pulverisation of various natural compounds ultimately destined to be rendered into therapeutics or drugs.