APPENDIX, 1(57 



or the sulphate was suspended in 10 per cent, potassium hydrate 

 solutiou and treated with 4 per cent, potassium j)ermanganate, 

 until the green colour disappeared only slowly. The mixture 

 was then filtered, acidified with sulphuric acid, extracted with ether, 

 this evaporated and residue recrystallized from water. This proved 

 to be benzoic acid. (Am. Journ, Pharm,, July, 1890.) 



PEBIULACEiE. 



Anagallis arvensis. 



A. Schneegas (Joum. Pharm. von Els. Loihr.^ 1891, 171) has 

 separated from this plant two glucosides identical with those obtain- 

 ed from quillaia and senega. The plant is said to be used in Mexico 

 as a substitute for soapwort. ■ 



SAPOTACE^. 



Indian Gutta-percha. 



The natural sources of supply of gutta-percha, and the possibility of 

 their exhaustion, were referred to in the Keio Reports^ 1876 (p. 23) ; 

 1887 (pp. 30, 31) ; and 1881 (pp, 38-45). A few trees, natives of the 

 Indian peninsula, yield substances more or less similar to gutta-percha. 

 One of these is D/c'Ao^^s/^ €lli/>tica,'Dalz, (z=:.Bassia ellipticaj Isoriandra 

 acitminata) ^ 



The following note on this plant appeared in the Report of the Royal 

 Gardens^ Keiv, 1881, p. 44 : 



" This tree appears to be common on the Malabar Coast, the forests 

 of Coorg, the Wynaad, Travancore, &c. It grows to a height of 80 or 

 90 feet, A substance similar to the gutta-percha of commerce is 

 procured by tapping, but the tree requires an interval of rest of some 

 hours, or even of days, after frequent incision. In five or six hours 

 upwards of 1] lbs. was collected from four or five incisions. The gum 

 is hard and bz'ittle at the ordinary temperature, but becomes sticky 

 and viscid on the increase of heat. It is not found ap2Jicable to aU 

 the purposes for which gutta-percha is used, but 20 or 30 per cent, of 



it may be mixed with gutta-percha without destroying its qualities." 



