36-3 
The Indian Mango (Mangifera Indica, Linn.) yields a luscious fruit which 
holds the place in that country, that the peach does in this, The Malabar Holi. 
garna longifolia, Roxb., and Stagmaria vernicifiua, Jack., of the Indian archipelago, 
furnish to the Chinese two of their famous black lacquers. It is said that the 
resin of the last named species is noxious and acrid, and that it is unsafe to 
remain long under the branches of the tree. 
History and Habitat.—Rhus glabra is one of our least nocuous species. It 
grows in rocky or barren soil, common throughout North America, flowering 
northward in June and July. 
An infusion of the berries of this species is said to furnish an unequalled 
black dye for wool. The berries, when dried, form an article of trade in Canada, 
known as sacacom?, this, when smoked as a substitute for tobacco, is said to anti- 
dote the habit; the Western Indians make a preparation of equal parts of the 
roots, leaves, and of tobacco, which they smoke under the name of Aintkah.* 
A cold infusion of the berries is often used as a cooling drink in fevers; it is 
also claimed to be of benefit in diabetes and strangury. The bark of the root is 
claimed to form an antiseptic dressing for ulcers and open wounds; while an 
infusion of the same is considered an excellent astringent for use in aphthous and 
mercurial sore mouths, diarrhoea, dysentery, gonorrhoea, and leucorrhoea, and to 
be anti-syphilitic. I have known the juice of the root to remove warts, I have also 
known these strange growths to disappear from the use of various innocuous 
“charms,” such as a neighbor’s potato surreptitiously obtained, rubbed upon the 
growths and cast over the left shoulder without noting its fall, etc., ete. 
Smooth Sumac is officinal in the U.S. Ph., as: Hatractum Rhots Glabra, \n 
the Eclectic Materia Medica the preparations are: Decoctum Rhus Glabri, and 
Extractum Rhus Fluidum. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The fresh bark, including that of the 
root, gathered when the plant is mature, should be chopped and pounded to a pulp 
and weighed. Then two parts by weight of alcohol are taken, the pulp well mixed 
with one-sixth part of it, and the rest of the alcohol added. After stirring the 
whole well, it should be poured into a well-stoppered bottle, and allowed to stand 
for eight days in a dark, cool place. , 
The tincture, separated from the mass by filtration, should exhibit a beautiful, 
very deep crimson color by transmitted light. Its taste should be at first sour, 
then astringent, leaving a sensation upon the tongue very like that of alum; its 
odor sour-vinous ; and its reaction strongly acid, 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—Gallotannic acid, C,,H,,O, This pure tan- 
nin of nut-galls also exists in the leaves and bark of the plant. It is an amorphous, 
porous, resinous, friable mass, freely soluble in water, less so in alcohol, and insolu- 
ble in pure ether. 
* Rafinesque, A/ed. Fior., ii., 257. 
