RADIX SARSAPAEILLiE. 709 



place them in two groups, — the mealy, or those of which starch is a 

 prevalent constituent, and the non-mealy, or those in which starch 

 exists to a comparatively small extent. 



(A.) Mealy Sarsaparillas. 



1. Honduras Sarsaparilla — This drug is exported from Belize. 

 It is made up in hanks or rolls about 30 inches long and 2i to 4 inches 

 or more in diameter, closely wound round with a long root so as to 

 form a neat bundle. The hanks are united into bales by large pieces 

 of hide, placed at top and bottom, and held together with thongs of the 

 same, further strengthened with iron hoops. 



The roots are deeply furrowed, or sometimes plump and smooth, 

 more or less provided with heard or rootlets. In a very large propor- 

 tion of their length they exhibit when cut a thick bark loaded with 

 starch ; yet in those parts which are near the rhizome the bark is 

 brown, resinous, and non-amylaceous. They are of a pale brown, 

 sometimes verging into orange. But the drug is subject to great 

 variation, so that it is impossible to lay down absolutely distinctive 

 characters. 



The annual imports into the United Kingdom of sarsaparilla from 

 British Honduras during the five yeare ending with 1870 averaged 

 about 52,000 lb. 



2. Guatemala Sarsaparilla — This sort of sarsaparilla, which first 

 appeared in commerce about 1852, resembles the Honduras kind in 

 many of its characters, and is packed in a similar manner. But it has 

 a more decided orange hue; the root^ as they start from the rhizome 

 are lean, shrunken, and but little starchy, but they become gradually 

 stouter (j% inch diam.), and acquire a thick bark, which is internally 

 very white and mealy. There is a tendency in the bark of this 

 sarsaparilla to crack and split off, so that bare spaces showing the 

 central woody column are not unfrequent. 



According to Bentley,^ who examined specimens of the plant, this 

 drug is derived from Smilax papyracea; we are not prepared to agree 

 in this opinion. 



3. Brazilian, Para or Lisbon Sarsajmrilla —Though, formerly 

 held in high esteem Brazilian sarsaparilla is not now appreciated in 

 England, and is rarely seen in the London market.- It is packed in a 

 very distinctive manner, the roots being tightly compressed into a cylin- 

 drical bundle, 3 feet or more in length and about 6 inches in diameter, 

 firmly held together by the flexible stem of a bignoniaceous plant, closely 

 wound round them, the ends being neatly shaved ofi; 



(B.) Non-mealy SarsapaHllas. 



4. Jamaica Sarsaparilla — To the English druggist this is the most 

 important variety ; it is that which appears to have the greatest claim 

 to possess some medicinal activity, and it is the only sort admitted to the 

 British Fhao^macoj^oeia. Although constantly called Jamaica sarsaixi- 

 rilla, it is well known that it only bears the name of Jamaica through 



' Pharvi. Journ. xii. (1853) 470, with - We noticed 66 rolls of it from Par^, 



figure. oflFered for sale 15 Dec. 1853. — D. H. 



