BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 299 
bitter and slightly acrid, When found pow- 
dered, it has a gTey-green appearance; rubbed 
with water, the mixture presents a green color, 
and is not colored blue by iodine. Scammony 
contains about 80 or 90 per cent of resin, and 
is therefore very freely soluble in alcohol and 
ether. The resin is said to be identical with 
JSalapin, and is termed scammonin. The most 
frequent adulterants are other gum resins; 
starch and lime carbonate are also used. Scam- 
mony is a very powerful hydragogue cathartic, 
and is an exceedingly old remedy. Adminis- 
tered in form of Conrectrro SCAMMONII BR, 
formulary, also as comp. PILLS, With COLOcYNTH, 
and PULVIs scAMMONII Comp. The dose of the 
drug is from 1 to 5 gTains (0.06 to 0.3 grams). 
The name is probably of Greek origin, and 
is spelt Skammonia, and Latinized into Scam- 
monia, and Convolvulus from the form of its 
flower. 
Dipterocarpus Turbinstus, Gurjun Balsam 
Trees. Also known in India as the Goa or Wood 
Oil Tree. Natural order Dipterocarpacez. 
Other species of this giant family also furnish 
the oil, such as the Dipterocarpus Gracillis, D. 
Hispeidis, and D. Littoralis, Atl the spices are 
to be found in India and the East India Islands. 
In general character of foliage these trees differ 
little from the species of Copaifera. The gur- 
jun balsam or wood oil is obtained by boring 
_ into the wood of the tree; this excavation is then 
charred, and the balsam begins to exude. A 
single tree is said to yield a large amonnt of 
oleo-resin—as much as 30 gallons in one season, 
Gurjun balsam closely resembles balsam copaiba 
