394 SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



Caoutchouc is insoluble in water, dilute acids, or dilute solutions 

 of the alkalies; more or less soluble in chloroform, carbon disulphide, 

 oil of turpentine, benzin and benzol. It meJts at about 125 C., 

 remaining soft and adhesive after cooling. 



Constituents. Caoutchouc consists chiefly of two hydrocarbons, 

 one of which is ductile and readily soluble in chloroform, and the 

 other elastic and less soluble in chloroform; it also contains 1 to 2 

 per cent of resin, volatile oil, etc. 



Allied Plants. African rubber is obtained from several species 

 of Landolphia and Kichsia africana (Fam. Apocynacea?). Bahia 

 rubber is derived from Hancornia speciosa (Fam. Apocynacea?). 

 Central American or Panama rubber is obtained from Castilloa elas- 

 tica (Fam. Moracese). Ceard rubber is the product of Manihot 

 Glaziovii (Fam. Euphorbiacese). East India rubber is the product 

 of the commonly cultivated rubber plant, Ficus elastica (Fam. Mora- 

 cese). Penang or Borneo rubber is the product of several species of 

 Urceola (Fam. Apocynacese). 



Vulcanization of Rubber. Caoutchouc retains its elastic and 

 other properties and is not affected by heat, if it is first purified and 

 then mixed with sulphur or sulphides. Ordinary rubber articles are 

 prepared in this manner. Hard rubber articles are manufactured 

 from Borneo rubber, to which colophony, gum balata and caoutchouc 

 are added; a number of mineral substances being added to cheapen 

 as well as to color the final product. 



Kamala. GLANDULE ROTTLER,E, ROTTLERA OR KAMEELA. The 

 hairs obtained from the capsules of Mallotus philippinensis (Fam. 

 Euphorbiacese) , an evergreen shrub indigenous to southeastern Asia 

 and widely distributed throughout tropical Asia and Australia. The 

 native women and children go out to the foothills where the trees 

 are growing and collect the glandular-hairy capsules. These are 

 then thrown into large baskets in which they are rolled about, at the 

 same time being rubbed with their hands, so as to remove the hairy 

 covering. This impure powder is collected, passed through a sieve 

 to remove the larger fragments and tissues, other than the hairs. 

 Most of the commercial supplies are exported from Indo-China to 

 London whence it is distributed to various European ports and 

 purified. 



Description. (Fig. 171.) A fine, granular, brownish-red powder, 

 consisting of yellowish-red, glandular hairs and grayish, stellate non- 

 glandular hairs, also a small quantity of vegetable tissues. The 

 glandular hairs consist of a very short 1-celled stalk, which is usually 

 wanting in the drug, and a nearly spheroidal, multicellular head 



