ON THE WAX TREE OF LOtHSIANA. 191 



it the beautiful lake mentioned by M. Alexandre. With this 

 notion I crufhed the powder ftrongly, and boiled it in a folu- 

 tion of acid fulphateof alumine ; but was very much furprifed 

 to obtain nothing but a liquor fcarcely coloured, and by which 

 the alumine, when precipitated by an aicali, was but flightly 

 tinged. 



I took another portion of this fine black powder, and in- 

 fufed it in alcohol, I foon obtained a tincture of the colour of 

 wine lees, which on being heated, became as red as a ftrong 

 tincture of quinquina, or terra japonica. The refult led me 

 to think that the colouring principle was refinous ; but on 

 adding water to it, I did not perceive that any precipitate 

 was formed. 



I then poured into this tincture water charged with fulphate 

 of alumina, and obtained flight precipitate. A folution of 

 fulphate of iron immediately formed ink. 



What may this aftringent colouring principle be which is The powder af- 

 only foluble in alcohol, which is not precipitated by water, gen^foktionby" 

 and has fo little attraction for alumine? To difcover it, it is alcohol, 

 neceflary to make a courfe of experiments which the fmall 

 quantity of the fubftance I was in pofTeffion of would not per- 

 mit me to undertake. The aftringcnt matter mentioned by 

 M. Alexandre mull be found in the decoction of the entire 

 grain. To afcertain this fact I boiled fome in a filver fauce- 

 pan, the decoction upon which floated a little of the wax, 

 was of a greenifh colour, its tafte flightly ftyptic, and it pre- 

 cipitated black ferruginous folutions. I heated it in an iron It contained gal- 

 veflel for that purpofe, and it immediately became black. To ^J™ 

 difcover whether this property arofe from the gallic acid alone, 

 or from tanin, I mixed a little of the concentrated decoction 

 w r ith a folution of gelatine, but it afforded no precipitate. 



It is therefore to the confiderable quantity of gallic acid 

 which the berries of the myrica contain, that we muft attri- 

 bute its effect in dyfenteries. I therefore fuppofe that the 

 bark and leaves of the tree muft contain an extract much 

 more aftringent than the berries. 



The examination of the wax afforded extremely interefting Examination of 

 refults. the wax * 



In whatever manner the wax may be obtained ; by the de- 

 coction of the grains, or the folution of the powder when pre- 

 cipitated from alcohol by water, this wax when melted is al- 

 2 ways 



