BALSAMUM COPAIBA. 99 



vvy 



Ti)eing combined for the most part with potash. The neutralized 



sohition reduces alkaline cupric tartrate after a while without heat, and 



therefore probably contains grape sugar. On evaporation, cream of 



tartar and sugar crystallize out. The volatile acids of the fatty series, 



the presence of which in the pulp has been pointed out by Gorup- 



BesauGz, have not been met with by other chemists. Tannin is absent 



as well as oxalic acid. We have ascertained that in East Indian 



tamarinds, citric acid is present in but small quantity. No peculiar 



principle to which the laxative action of tamarinds can be attributed 

 IS known. 



The fruit-pulp diffused in water forms a thick, tremulous, somewhat 

 glutinous and turbid liquid. It was examined as early as the year 1790 

 by Vauquelin under the name of '' vegetable jelly "—the first described 

 among the pectic class of bodies. 



^ The hard seeds have a testa which abounds in tannin, and after long 

 boiling is easily separated, leaving the cotyledons soft. These latter 

 nave a bland mucilaginous taste, and are consumed in India as food 

 during times of scarcity. 



Commerce — Tamarinds are shipped in comparatively small quan- 

 tities from several of the West Indian islands, and also from Guayaquil. 



The export from the Bombay Presidency in the year 1871-72 was 

 6286 cvvt., which quantity was shipped chiefly to the Persian Gulf, 

 Sind, and ports of the Red Sea.^ 128, Hi centners were re-exported in 

 1877 from Trieste. 



Uses — In medicine, tamarinds are considered to be a mild laxative ; 



they are sometimes used to make a refrigerant drink in fever. In 



hot countries, especially the interior of Africa, they are regarded 



*8 of the highest value for the preparation of refreshing beverages. 



ihe BlacJc Tamarinds are said to be used in the manufacture of 

 tobacco. 



BALSAMUM COPAIBA. 



'-opaiha; Balsam of Copaiba or Gopaiva, Balsam Gapivi; F. Bawrrve 



ou OUo-^'esine de Cojxihu; G. Gopaivabalsam. 



botanical Origin— The drug under notice is produced by trees 

 '""""~ "" " " 'fera, natives of the warmer * countries 



bel 



onmn 



.^ Jsouth America. Some are found in moist forests, others exclusively 

 ary and elevated situations. They vary in height and size, som. 



shi"? ""^^''.^0*50^^5 forest trees, while others have only the dimension of 

 "t)s ; it is from the former alone that the oleo-resin is obtained. 



{^a^i, following are reputed to furnish the drug, but to Avhat extent 



"J contributes is not fully known. 



coasf* ^i'^^f^^'^ offi^cinaHa L. (G. Jacquini Dcsf ), a large tree of the hot 



iUi 1"^^?° ^f New Granada as far north as Panama, of Venezuela and 



^^e island of Trinidad. 



relat- 1 , ^^^^''i^'ws^'s Besf., a tree of SO to 40 feet high, very closely 

 ^^ to the preceding, native of Surinam, Cayenne, also of the Rio 



^"^^nt oj the Trade and Navigation of the Presidency of Bovihay, 1871-72, pt. ii. 63. 



