30 Mr. Bushnan's Observations on the Roots 



1. True Ipecacuanhas. 



For a long time ipecacuanhas were distinguished from each 

 other by their external colour. But the characters drawn from 

 this source, being subject to great variation, gave rise to much con- 

 fusion. Richard* proposed to distinguish them by fixed characters, 

 principally drawn from their organization. This is by far the best 

 method, and I shall, accordingly, adopt it. Three species of ipe- 

 cacuanha may, in this way, be discovered, viz. the annulated, 

 the striated, and the undulated ; all belonging to the family of the 

 Rubiaceae. The annulated and undulated species are brought to 

 this country in bales from South America. 



1. Annulated Ipecacuanha. — This species is the root of Cephae- 

 lis, and is met with in pieces three or four inches long, and about 

 the thickness of a writing quill, variously bent and contorted, sim- 

 ple or branched, full of knots, with deep circular fissures about a 

 line in depth, reaching down to a ligneous cord, giving the idea of 

 a number of rings strung upon a thread — hence its name of annu- 

 lated ipecacuanha. These rings are unequal in size, both with re- 

 gard to each other, and also in difi'erent parts of the same ring. 

 The substance of the root consists of two parts ; a thin yellowish- 

 white woody cord, called Meditullium, running through the centre, 

 and a cortical layer of much greater thickness, brittle, and of a 

 greyish or brownish colour ; it is in the latter part that the largest 

 portion of the active principle of ipecacuanha resides. The taste 

 of this root is acrid, aromatic, and slightly bitter ; its odour slight, 

 but nauseous and peculiar. The cortical portion pulverises more 

 easily than the Meditullium. As the latter is comparatively inert, 

 it should be removed, which may be done by bruising the root, 

 which should be kept in well stopped bottles. The colour of this 

 root varies, and hence three varieties have been made known ; the 

 brown, the red, and the gray, all of which are produced by the 

 same plant. 



Var. a. Brown annulated ipecacuanha of Lemery and Richard; 

 the gray or annulated ipecacuanha of Merat ; the blackish gray 

 anmdated ipecacuanha of Guibourt ; the black ipecacuanha of some 

 writers. This is the most common and best variety. Its epider- 

 mis is more or less deeply broAvn ; sometimes even blackish ; its 

 fracture gray or brownish ; its powder gray. 



Var. b. Red annulated ipecacuanha of Richard : red-gray ipe- 

 cacuanha of Lemery and Merat ; reddish-gray ipecacuanha of 

 Guibourt. This is very similar to the former, and, next to it, is 

 most frequently met with. The colour of the bark, however, is 

 less deep, and reddish ; its fracture resinous, and of a more or less 

 roseate hue. Commonly it is horny, and semi-transparent ; but 

 sometimes the section of this bark appears opake, dull, and farina- 

 ceous, in which case the root is generally less active. 



• Bulletin de la Society de la Faculte de Medecine, 1818. 



