CASCARILLA 281 



Constituents. Cascarilla contains about 1 per cent, of volatile 

 oil, a crystalline bitter principle, cascarillin, which is neither alkaloidal 

 nor glucosidal, and at least two alkaloids, viz. betaine and cascarilline, 

 the latter crystallising in prismatic plates ; it yields from 7-5 to 10-5 

 per cent, of ash, siftings commonly affording a higher figure. 



Use. Cascarilla is used as an aromatic, bitter stomachic. 



Substitutes. Copalchi bark, from Croton niveus, Jacquin (West 

 Indies, Venezuela), occurs in long quills, much larger than those of 

 cascarilla ; it has a thin, greyish cork, below which is the cortex 

 marked with minute transverse furrows. 



The bark of Croton lucidus, Linne (?) : the cork is greyish and 

 firmly adherent ; the inner surface is striated and pinkish brown, and 

 the transverse section shows numerous groups of sclerenchymatous 

 cells. 



The barks of several other species of Croton have been found in 

 the commercial drug ; genuine cascarilla may be identified by the 

 characters given above. 



SLIPPERY ELM BARK 



(Cortex Ulmi Fulvae) 



Source, &c. The slippery elm, Ulmus fulva, Michaux (N.O. 

 Urticacece), is a small tree indigenous to the central and northern 

 United States. The bark is collected in the spring from the trunk 

 and large branches, deprived of its outer dead portions, and dried ; 

 the tree is thereby destroyed, and as the wood has no commercial 

 value no effort is made to replace it. Large quantities of the bark 

 are collected in the lower peninsula of Michigan. 



Description. The slippery elm bark of commerce consists entirely 

 of secondary bast. It is commonly imported in large flat strips 

 half to one metre long, but only 3 mm. or less in thickness. The 

 outer surface is reddish yellow in colour, with patches of the reddish 

 brown outer portion (bark) , and is distinctly striated longitudinally ; 

 the inner surface is tawny yellow and also longitudinally striated. 



It is extremely tough and fibrous. The section, examined under 

 the lens, is seen to be completely traversed by medullary rays, 

 between which small tangential bands (bast fibres and bast paren- 

 chyma) are arranged, giving the section a chequered appearance. 

 If the transverse section is moistened and allowed to remain for 

 u minute or two and again examined, numerous cells full of trans- 

 parent swollen mucilage can be detected. No trace of the cortex 

 can be found, but portions of the dark outer layer (bark) are fre- 

 quently present. 



