74 A COMPENDIUM OF 
acteristics, save that the leaves are larger and 
more fleshy, and the root larger with numerous 
medullary rays; tastes like the previous variety, 
somewhat sweet and persistently acrid. The 
dose and use of all the family of Caryophyllacez 
seems to depend on the principle calied Saponin, 
which principle exists in more or less quantity 
in the corn cockle (Lychnis Githago) and many 
plants of the same genus. Plants in this order. 
Caryophyllaceze, are said to be in the tribe Si- 
lenez, the genus Lychnis and the sexual system 
of Decandria Pentagynia. These soapworts, or 
Soaproots, must not be confounded with the 
soapbark of the stores, Quillaia Soponaria, which 
is used, like the former, for a detergent, but is 
tarely given internally, and is highly poisonous. 
Sassafras Cortex, the bark of the Sassafras 
Officinale.—Natural order Lauracew, The sas- 
safras is found growing in all the North Amer- 
ican woods, and according to the situation and 
Soil, etc., depends the size the tree attains. 
The bark is obtained from the root of the tree. 
As found in the stores, the bark is rough exter- 
nally and smooth internally, in various sized 
pieces, irregular in shape and of a rusty brown 
color, very pungent, having a sweetish, bitter, 
aromatic taste, somewhat astringent. ‘The bark 
contains oil, tannin, starch, gum, resin and wax; 
the oil has a specific gravity of 0.90, dissolves 
freely in alcohol and yields with acid nitric a 
dark resin which js variously termed sassafred, 
or sassafrene. The leaves of the sassafras are 
somewhat ovoidal when young, becoming deeply 
cut as they attain age, smooth on the upper sur- 
face and downy beneath, inclining to pubes- 
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