338 UVBIACEM. 



when much diluted, a green tint. If it is shaken with ferrous sulphate 

 and an extremely small quantity of bicarbonate of sodium, a violet 

 colour makes its appearance. The same reactions are produced by 

 various substances of the tannic class. 



The yellowish colouring matter of gambler was determined by 



Hlasiwetz (1867) and Lowe (1873) to be Quercetin, which is also a con- 

 stituent of cutch. Quercetin is but very sparingly soluble in water, 

 yet it is nevertheless found, in small quantity, in the aqueous extract of 

 cutch, from which it may be removed by means of ether. As many 

 species of Nauclea contain, according to Do Vry,^ Quinovic Acid, it 

 is probable that that substance may be detected in gambler. 



Some fine gambler in regular cubes which we incinerated left 26 

 per cent, of ash, consisting mainly of carbonates of calcium and 

 magnesium. 



Commerce — Singapore, which is the great emporium for gambler, 

 exported in 1871 no less than 34,248 tons, of which quantity 19,550 

 tons had been imported into the colony chiefly from Rhio and the 

 Malayan Peninsula.^ In 1876 the export had increased to more than 

 50,000 tons of pressed block gambler and 2,700 tons of cubes. In 1877 

 it diminished to 39,117 tons, owing to difficulties which had arisen 



between the Chinese dealers, who supplied the drug in a rather wet 



state, and the European exporters. Of the above quantity 21,607 tons 



were shipped for London, 7,572 for Liverpool, 2,345 for Marseilles. 



Gambler usually fetches a lower price ^ in the London market than 

 cutch. 



The quantity [imported into the United Kingdom in 1872 was 

 21,lo5 tons, value £451,737, almost the whole being from the Straits 

 Settlements. 



Uses— Gambler, under the name of Catechu, is used medicinally 

 as an astrmgent.but the quantity thus consumed is as nothing in com- 

 parison with that employed for tanning and dyeing. 



CORTEX CINCHONA. 



Cortex Femvianus, Codex Chinee; Cinchona Bark, Penman Bark; 



F. Eco)'ce de Quinquina ; G. Chinarinde. 



Botanical Origin-The genus Cinchona constitutes together with 

 uxscanila (including Buena and Cosmibuena), Eemijia, Ladenbergt^', 

 Macrocnemum, and about 30 other nearly allied genera, the well- 

 characterized tribe Cincho7iece of the order Ruhiaiece. This tribe 

 consists of shrubs or trees with opposite leaves, 2-celled ovary, cai)sulai 

 ruit, and numerous minute, vertical or ascending, peltate, winged, albu- 

 minous seerls "' ^ 



bv (^•.\^'-^''^«'"^'« on the <jenus.—ThQ genus Cinchona is distinguish 

 ^deciduous stipules, flowers in tcrininal panicles, 5-toothed saperior 



caly 



The corol 

 or Avhite. 



^Srifro?-,/:-^ ' ^^7.. per cwt., 



ScUkmenUfoT I87l '^ ""^ ^^'^ ^^'^""'^^ Catechu, page 242, 



March 1879 ; 



see 



