LARIX — LARCir. 259 



Canada pitcli is in opaque, rcddiHli-brown inaHSPH, hard and lirittlo at 

 ordinary tcnipcratureH, but readily softoniii*? by tho application of litUo 

 heat. It contains rosin, and a ndniite proportion ol .olatiU^ oil. 



I'rcjHirdliiiiis, — Of Canad.'i turpentine: n tne. Of(!anatla pilch: Ein- 

 plastruni picis Canadensis —Canada pitch pUister. — L'nUcU jSlulci I'hunuuco- 

 pwia. 



Medical Propcrficft and ^'sc.s. — Canada turpentine duos not dirt'er mate- 

 rially in action fioni connnon turpentine, and is seldom eni]iloyed medici- 

 nally. Canada [)itch, api)lied externally in tlm form of a plaster, pro<luces 

 mild rnbefaction, by virtue of its volatile oil. It is emi)loyed to some extent 

 as a substitute for liurj^imdy pitcli, the product of .1. vjvc/su of Europe. 



Thn bark of A. Canadensis is very astriu'^ent and is lar^^ely used in 

 tannin;^. An extract prepared from it occurs as a <-onimcrcial article and 

 has lu'cn emplo^'ed to some extent an a topical astriuf^cnt. It appears to 

 Lave uo advantages over other common vegetable astringents. 



LAllIX.— LA.air. 



Larix Americana Michanx. — Aineriivii f/irch, Tamarmi: 



I>t'.<ci-i/i/i(iii. — Catkins tciininuting shiu'l liilcral branches of the preced- 

 ing year, the sterile from leafless Ixids, the f(.'rtile mostly with leaves below ; 

 cones ovoid, ^ to [^ i:ich long; scales few, rounded, not tliickened. Leaves 

 needle-shaped, soft, fasciculate, deciduous. A tall, slender tree, Avith hori- 

 zontal branches, and thiu scaly bark, from ■which exudes an aronuitic resin. 



Ifdhilat. — In swamps and marshy borders of small lakes and ponds from 

 New England to Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ; most connnon northward. 

 It attains its greatesr perfection in peat swamps; indeed, an abunda. .t 

 growth of this tree in a swamp is almont certain evidence of a deposit of 

 }Deat. 



Pinix T^xcd — Tli(! iimer bark and the resinous exudation — not oflicial. 



CoiiKfifiicHli^,— It does not appear that an analysis of the bark of the 

 American larch has yet been made. The bark of an allied European 

 species A>. Kiivopn'a contains tannin of a peculiar character, and another 

 acid princii)le allied to pyrogallic acid and pyrocatechu. The resinous 

 exudation contains resin and a small quantity of volatile oil. 



Preparations. — The bark is commonly employed in decoction. The 

 resinous exuilation, is an article of commerce under the name of tamarack, 

 or spruce gum. It is prepared, gen(>rally b}' sophistication with other 

 cheaper substances, for use as chewing-gum. 



Medieal Propertien and Uses. — Little is known of the therapeutic prop- 

 erties of tamarack bai'k, though it is said to be laxative, tonic, diui'etic, 

 and alterative. Tamarack gum has no inherent medicinal properties. 

 Being chewed, it stinudates the salivary secretion, and to some dyspep- 

 tics alFords a certain amount of relief ; but whether this is because of the 



