536 DRUGS 



Quassia, Quassia-chips or Bitter- wood (Pier tie na excelsa. Sim- 

 arubaeeae). A West Indian tree, the wood of which is largely used 

 in Europe and elsewhere as a source of an intensely bitter liquid, 

 which is extracted and used against aphides and other insects. A 

 ton of quassia chips yields only 10 oz. of the bitter principle, but 

 this is capable of embittering 24,000 gallons of water. To obtain 

 the bitter contents, 1 Ib. quassia chips should be steeped in cold 

 water for a few hours and then be simmered for 12 hours in 

 1 gallon water. See under Insecticides. 



Sarsaparilla. A drug obtained from the roots of various 

 species of Smilax (Liliaceae), and used for rheumatism, gout, etc. 

 The genus Sinilax are climbing plants, characterized by more or 

 less thorny stems and large leaves, found in a wild state in the 

 West Indies, Central America, Mexico, etc. Smilax officinalis 

 furnishes the Jamaica sarsaparilla, while other different species 

 supply the Brazilian and Mexican product. S. officinalis thrives at 

 Peradeniya, where it has been introduced in 1880. Several species 

 of Smilax are indigenous to the moist regions of Ceylon, being 

 found up to about 4,000 ft. The collection of sarsaparilla is 

 effected by scraping away the earth covering the roots, which run 

 horizontally under the ground ; when laid bare, they are cut off 

 near the crown, a few slender roots being allowed to remain to 

 assist the plant in renewing its growth. The collected roots are 

 then dried and packed in bundles for exportation. The present 

 price of Sarsaparilla in London is about Is. to Is. 3d. per Ib. 



Indian Sarsaparilla; "iramusu," S. (Hemidesmus indicns. 

 Asclepiadeae). A small slender twining plant, found wild in the 

 moist low-country of Ceylon, also in India. The roots are much 

 used as a tonic medicine, being included in the British and Indian 

 official pharmacopoeias. 



Senna Leaves, or Senna Pods. The dried leaves or pods of 

 certain species of Cassia, which are imported into Europe, etc., for 

 use in medicine, being well-known for their mild laxative properties. 

 Tinnivelly senna, the best known in commerce, is furnished by 

 Cassia angusti folia, a small shrub, native of Arabia and East Africa, 

 and largely cultivated in parts of South India. Alexandrian or 

 Nubian senna is obtained from Cassia obovata, a shrubby plant of 

 Egypt, now naturalised in Jamaica. Senna leaves fetch at present 

 from 4d. to 6d. per Ib. in London. 



Thymol is prepared (by distillation) from the oil of Ajava or 

 Ajowan seeds, produced by Canun copticum, a small Umbelliferous 



