318 MYRTACE^E 



368 b. EUCALYPTUS ROSTRATA Schlecht. RED GUM. The resin or inspissated 



juice. Synonyms: CREEK GUM, MURRAY RED GUM, RED GUM KINO, EUCA- 

 LYPTI GUMMI. Habitat: Australia. Small, angular, ruby-red, shining pieces; 

 in thin layers transparent. Resembles kino, but has a brighter appear- 

 ance and is less astringent. The taste is bitter. Almost entirely dis- 

 solved by alcohol. Properties: A good astringent, similar to kino. Prepa- 

 rations: Fluid and lozenges. Uses: Checks the purging of mercurial pills 

 administered for syphilis. Has been recommended for seasickness. Dose: 

 5 to 20 minims of the fluid. 



369. MYRCIA. BAY LEAVES. WAX MYRTLE. WILD CLOVE LEAVES. The 

 leaves of Myr'cia ac'ris De Candolle, a West Indian tree. These leaves are 

 aromatic and spicy, containing a volatile oil, which, when distilled, forms 

 the Oleum Myrciae, and when distilled over with rum, forms bay rum. 



369 a. OLEUM MYRCLE (1890). OIL OF BAY. A volatile oil distilled 

 from bay leaves. It is a brownish-yellow, slightly acid liquid, 

 having an agreeable, somewhat clove-like odor, and a warm, spicy 

 taste; sp. gr. 0.96 to 0.98. It consists of a light and a heavy oil 

 the light a hydrocarbon identical with that of cloves and allspice, 

 the heavy composed chiefly of eugenol. 



PREPARATION. 



Spiritus Myrciae (U.S. P. 1890) (8 per cent., with the oils of orange-peel 

 and pimenta). Artificial Bay Rum. 



370. CHEKAN. CHEKEN. The leaves of a Chilian evergreen shrub, Eu- 

 ge'nla che'kan Molina. Tonic, expectorant, with some diuretic action. 

 Dose of the fluidextract: 30 to 60 njj (2 to 4 mils). 



371. CARYOPHYLLUS CLOVES 



CLOVES 



The dried flower buds of Euge'nia aroma'tica O. Kuntze (lambosa caryophyllus 

 (Sprengel) Niedenzu) with not more than 5 per cent, of peduncles, stems 

 and other foreign matter. 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS. A shrubby evergreen, with hard wood, covered 

 with a smooth, gray bark. Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate, coriaceous. 

 Petals 4, globular in bud, afterward spreading, whitish, aromatic. Ovary 

 2 -celled ; fruit a large, elliptical berry. 



SOURCE. The original habitat of the clove tree was the Molucca Islands, 

 but they have been introduced into other East Indian Islands, into 

 Zanzibar (which now forms the principal source), and into Cayenne. 

 They are picked singly while green and are dried in the sun. Com- 

 mercial: There are several varieties, as Molucco, Sumatra, and 

 South American, the latter being rather inferior. 



DESCRIPTION OF DRUG. Cloves are about 15 mm. (^ in.) long, of a dark 

 brown or reddish-brown appearance; the calyx tube is long, nearly 

 cylindrical, crowned with the four stiff teeth (clasping the unexpanded 

 corolla) ; corolla of four lighter colored, unexpanded petals, forming 

 a hollow ball on the top of the calyx-tube, inclosing the numerous 

 curved stamens and the single style; the ovary is inferior, situated 

 near the top of the calyx-tube, and consists of two cells, each contain- 

 ing many pvules. A cross-section of the lower part of the calyx- 



