2 24 THY ME L^ A CEM. 



ynx 



colour. The oil is 

 neutral, of sp. gr. '9546, bitter, and with an odour resembling, 

 but distinct from sandal wood oil. It dissolves in all propor- 

 tions of alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzol and petroleum ether. 

 It dissolves iodine without violent reaction^ and yields no 

 characteristic reaction with sulphuric acid, being only darkened 

 in colour. Exposed to the air in a thin layer, it acquires a 

 crimson colour. At a low temperature, by keeping in ice, the 

 oil remains clear and free from any deposit, but becomes very 

 thick and viscid, and develops a strong greenish fluorescence 

 which vanishes or nearly so at a higher temperature, 85 F, 

 The finely powdered wood, treated successively with petroleum 

 ether, ether, and alcohol, yielded to the petroleum ether 8'75 

 per cent, of a mixture of volatile oil and resin, which deposited 

 on the sides of the evaporating dish a few small tabular crystals. 

 On dr5dng at 110 C, this mixture of oil and resin lost volatile 

 oil equivalent to 5'75 per cent. The ether extracted a resm, 

 6'4 per cent., soluble in aqueous solution of potash, with a deep 

 reddish -brown colour and greenish fluorescence, in solutions of 

 ammonia and of carbonate of soda. The resin is precipitated 

 from these solutions by acids. Strong sulphuric acid dissolves 

 the resin with a red colour, from which it is precipitated by 

 water in yellowish-brown flocks. It is readily soluble in glacial 

 acetic acid, but no crystals were obtained on the spontaneous 

 evaporation. It is insoluble in benzol and petroleum ether 

 and in boiling alum solution. The resin probably contains a^ 

 anthraquinone derivative allied to Emodin and Chrysophanic 

 Acid, but I have not yet succeeded in isolating it. Alcohol 

 extracts a resin, 4-12 per ceut., insoluble in ether. Taggar 

 wood is valued in Bombay at about Es. 3 per maund of 28 lbs.' 



Mazariyun* — The Mezereon of Mahometan physicians is 

 described in their works upon Materia Medica as a leaf. 



It is considered by C. Bauhin to be the Gneonnn iricoccon, 

 and is probably the same as the Chama^ka of Scribonius, of which 



Bay 



>portet." {Comp. l^'^) 



