402 RHUS VERNIX, 
face. The coating appeared yery durable and 
firm, and was not affected by moisture. It was 
elastic and perfectly opaque, and seemed calcu- 
lated to answer the purposes of both paint and 
varnish, 
The chemical constitution of the juice of the 
Rhus vernix seems, from the foregoing experi- 
ments, to be most analogous to that of the bal- 
sams, consisting chiefly of a resin and an essen- 
tial oil. The oil dissipates slowly at low temper- 
atures, approaching in this and some other res- 
pects to the character of a fixed oil. The resin, 
when procured in contact with the atmospheric 
air, is black, opaque, and solid, rendered very ad- 
hesive, and at length fluid by heat. 
"A very distressing, cutaneous disease, it is 
well known, ensues in many persons from the con- 
tact, and even from the efluvium of this shrub, 
The poisonous influence which produces this af- 
fection is common to several other trees and 
plants, such as the Poison vine or Poison ivy, 
(Rhus radicans,) the Cashew nut, (Anacardium 
occidentale,) and the Manchineel, ( Hippomane 
mancinella,) Even the garden Rue, and com- 
mon Oleander, are said to affect some persons in 
asimilar manner.—The Rhus vernix is the most 
formidable of this tribe which is found among us, 
