340 ERICACEAE 



entirely of methyl salicylate and is optically inactive, while the former is 

 laevogyrate. As it comes into market it is of a brownish-yellow or reddish 

 color and has a very agreeable, characteristic odor and taste. Specific 

 gravity of 1.172-1.182. An aqueous solution gives, with ferric salts, 

 a purplish color. It yields, with 6 parts of 70 per cent, alcohol at 2OC., 

 a perfectly clear solution a property serving to detect adulterations. 

 (Official as Methyl Salicylas, 413 b). 



413 b. METHYL SALICYLAS. A product yielding not less than 98 

 per cent, of methyl salicylate (CHsCyEUOs). // is produced synthetic- 

 ally or obtained by distillation from Betula lenta Linne, or from Gaul- 

 theria procumbens Linne, and the source from which it is derived must 

 be stated on the label. 



Specific gravity at 25C.: Synthetic 1.18 to 1.185; when from Sweet 

 Birch or Gaultheria 1.172 to 1.182. 



Most of the so-called "true" oil of wintergreen is made by distilling 

 a mixture, of wintergreen leaves and the bark of the sweetbirch. 



Dose of Methyl Salicylas: 12 minims (0.75 mils), U.S. P. IX. 



414. CHIMAPHtLA. CHIMAPHILA N.F. 



PIPSISSEWA. PRINCE'S PINE 

 The dried leaves of Chimaph'ila umbella'ta Nuttall. 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS. -A low, nearly herbaceous plant, with long, 

 running, underground shoots. Leaves evergreen, thick, and shining, whorled, 

 wedge-lanceolate, sharply serrate, not spotted. Flowers umbelled, on a 

 terminal peduncle; petals rose-color; anthers violet. Capsule 2- to 5-celled. 



HABITAT. Northern Hemisphere, in dry woods. 



DESCRIPTION OF DRUG. Oblanceolate, about 25 to 50 mm. (i to 2 n.) in length* 

 sharply serrate, with pointed apex, cuneiform and entire at base; coriaceous; 

 surfaces smooth, upper dark green, glossy, lower lighter in color; odor slight; 

 taste astringent, slightly bitter. 



Chimaphila maculata (spotted wintergreen or pipsissewa) has the same 

 medicinal qualities, but differs physically in being oval-lanceolate, with a 

 paler upper surface, and in being dotted with small white holes along the 

 midrib. 



RELATED PLANTS. Pyrola rotundifolia (known as wintergreen or shin 

 leaf), P. elliptica and P. chlorantha are used similarly to the above. 



Powder. Brownish-green. Characteristic elements: Parenchyma, mesophyll 

 with irregular reddish-brown tannin masses, other cells with few starch grains, 

 simple or compound, calcium oxalate crystals, aggregate (40 to 6o^indiam.); 

 stomata and few tracheids present. 



