BALSAMUM COPAIBA. 227 



being combined for the most part with potash. The neutralized 

 solution reduces alkaline cupric tartrate after a while without heat, and 

 therefore probably contains grape sugar. On evaporation, cream of 

 tartar and sugar crystallize out. The volatile acids of the fatty series, 

 the presence of which in the pulp has been pointed out by Gorup- 

 Besanez, have not been met with by other chemists. Tannin is absent 

 as well as oxalic acid. We have ascertained that in East Indian 

 tamarinds, citric acid is present in but small quantity. No peculiar 

 principle to which the laxative action of tamarinds can be attributed 

 is known. 



The fruit-pulp diffused in water forms a thick, tremulous, somewhat 

 glutinous and turbid liquid. It was examined as early as the year 1790 

 by Yauquelin under the name of " vegetable jelly" — the first described 

 among the pectic class of bodies. 



The hard seeds have a testa which abounds in tannin, and after long 

 boiling is easily separated, leaving the cotyledons soft. These latter 

 have a bland mucilaginous taste, and are consumed in India as food 

 during times of scarcity. 



Commerce — Tamarinds are shipped in comparatively small quan- 

 tities from several of the West Indian islands, and also from Guayaquil. 



The export from the Bombay Presidency in the year 1871-72 was 

 6286 cwt., which quantity was shipped chiefly to the Persian Gulf, 

 Sind, and ports of the Bed Sea.^ 128,144 centners were re-exported in 

 1877 from Trieste. 



Uses — In medicine, tamarinds are considered to be a mild laxative ; 

 they are sometimes used to make a refrigerant drink in fever. In 

 hot countries, especially the interior of Africa, they are regarded 

 as of the highest value for the preparation of refreshing beverages. 

 The Black Tamarinds are said to be used in the manufacture of 

 tobacco. 



BALSAMUM COPAIBA. 



Jopaiba ; BalsaTn of Copaiba 07' Copaiva, Balsam, Cajnvi ; F. Baume 

 ou OUo-resine de Copahu ; G, Copaivabalsam. 



Botanical Origin — The drug under notice is produced by trees 

 [belonging to the genus Copaifera, natives of the warmer countries 

 ■of South America. Some are found in moist forests, others exclusively 

 |in dry and elevated situations. They vary in height and size, some 

 )eing umbrageous forest trees, while others have only the dimension of 

 [shrubs ; it is from the former alone that the oleo-resin is obtained. 



The following are reputed to furnish the drug, but to what extent 

 J each contributes is not fully known. 



1. Copaifera ojficinalis L. (C. Jacqiiini Desf.), a large tree of the hot 

 coast region of New Granada as far north as Panama, of Yenezuela and 

 the island of Trinidad. 



2. C. guianensis Desf, a tree of 30 to 40 feet high, very closelj'^ 

 ^related to the preceding, native of Surinam, Cayenne, also of the Kio 



^Statement of the Trade and Navigation of the. Presidency of Bombay, 1871-72, pt. iL 65. 



