Comparative Analysis of the Gum Resins. 347 
G. The resin of euphorbia is of a reddish transparency, 
and of an excessive bitterness, which must make it be re= 
arded as a violent poison. It becomes idio-electrical on 
Heine rubbed. 
The alkalis have no sensible action on it: I heated some 
_ with a solution of caustic potash, and I poured nitric acid 
into the liquor, which was not disturbed: some slight red 
flakes only were formed after some time, which floated oir 
the surface of the liquor. 
Cold sulphuric acid dissolves the resin of euphorbia 
when treated with the nitric acid at a temperature of 20°. 
It becomes soft, yellow, and begins to be decomposed: on 
heating the liquor weé obtain a perfect solution, which, on 
being evaporated, furnishes plenty of yellowish resinous- 
like matter, besides a soluble resino-bitter substance, and 
some traces of oxalic acid. 
§ IV. It results from the above experiments that 100 
parts of euphorbia are composed of the following sub- 
stances : 
Peter SP OIA Sy A Ri ee 
Be se are ee Hee oe cine Salve HOT 
Lipricous niatter 9s S222 ee is 0 SO 
Malate of Time. v.20. 00.0: Sih, BOS 
Malate of potash .......... 2. 20 
Rest 2) ESS O. POS8 BOh ee ee 
» So areata eo ha be 
100. 
T think that the juice of the euphorbie of India is of the 
same nature with that which flows from the harmless 
species of Europe, which I intend to inquire into mote 
minutely. 
It is not without reason that euphorbia is regarded 4s 
one of the most powerful external cauteries and violent 
drastics. There is no doubt that if taken even in a stnall 
dose it would be capable of producing dangerous inflatn- 
mations and erosions in the prime vie. 
ANALYSIS OF MYRRH. 
$1. Myrrh, according to Lemery, is a resinous gum 
which issues on the incision of a thorny tree which grows 
in Arabia Felix, Egypt, Ethiopia, &c. | 
This observation concurs withthe opinion of Forskal, 
that the balsam kafal (Amyris Kafal Forsk.) may be the 
tree which produces this gummo-resinous juice, the origin 
of which is so uncertain. We are inclined to a at 
cast, 
