DAMMAR. 



53 



It flows spontaneously from the main stems and also 

 from the roots. In some regions, as the mountains of 

 Sumatra, the resin falls in large masses from spontan- 

 eous fissures; in other regions wounds are made in the 

 trees, with a corresponding greater yield of resin. It 

 comes into commerce in large masses five to fifteen inches 

 in diameter, or in small pieces one to three inches in 

 diameter. 



It is light yellowish, transparent in small pieces, 

 smooth, fragile, breaking with clean, conchoidal, glassy 

 fracttire, and is readily powdered. It melts at about 120° 

 C. and is intermediate in hardness between Colophonium, 

 which melts at 100° C, and Copal, melting at 180° C. 

 The fresh resin has a terebinthinate odor and taste, but 

 older specimens may be odorless and tasteless. 



Chemistry. — It contains traces of an ethereal oil, dam- 

 marolic acid, Cg^H^^OgCOH) (C00H)2, and two resins.* 



It is insoluble in water, partly soluble in cold alcohol 

 and ether, completely soluble in benzol, xylol, chloroform, 

 CSj, soluble in concentrated HjSO^, with red color, and is 

 thrown down by water as a white powdery precipitate 

 from this solution; it is partly soluble in ether, alcohol, 

 toluol, acetic acid, petroleum ether, acetone, and anilin. 

 In an 80 per cent, solution of chloral hydrate it swells 

 very markedly, but does not become soluble even after 

 extended action of the chloral. 



* Tschirch and Glimann, Arch, dcr Pharmacie, 234, 1896, p. 585, 

 have determined the composition about as follows: 



Dammarolic acid 23.0 per cent. 



Water 2.5 



Ash 3.5 



Impurities 8.0 



A. Dammar- Resin, sol. in alcohol 40.0 



B. Dammar-Resin, insol. in alcohol 22.5 



Residue — Ethereal oil, bitter principles, etc. .. 0.5 



100.0 



