ANALTSIS OF SCAMMONY. 3J| 



JREMARKS. 



The hypothesis of prof. Wood I believe is not new. I The hypoth»- 

 tinderstand the same theory suggested itself to Mr, James ' 



Ferguson, who valued himself upon the discovery; but his 

 manuscript was never sent to the press, as, on showing it 

 to some friends, it was thought to be founded on erroneous 

 principles. The preceding letter I insert with pleasure, as 

 it appears to me, to givfe a simple and satisfactory account 

 of the subject : but, though such is my private opinion, I 

 considered it proper to lay prof. Wood's circular letter be- 

 fore my readers ; particularly as 1 knew that some, who do t"t not dec'ii- 

 not rank among the most contemptible mathematicians, had 

 not been able to make up their minds respecting it. 



X. 



An analytical Essay on the Scatnmonies of Aleppo and 

 SmyrnOf with some Observations on the reddening of Lit' 

 mus by Resins; by Messrs, Bouillon-Lagrange and 



VOGEL*. 



JL HE two sorts of scammony are obtained from the root Two sons of 

 of a plant, that grows in Syria. The finest and Purest '^^^^^'^^^ ^"""^ 

 scammony is procured by makiug an incision in the root, 

 and drying in the sun the juice that exudes. * But fre* 

 quently, in order to obtain a larger quantity, the people of 

 Syria and Natolia express the juice, and not only from the 

 root, but from the stalks and leaves also. Often too they Adulteration ». 

 adulterate it, by mixing with it the juice of some other 

 milky and acrid plants, as that of the spurges; or increase 

 its weight by a mixture of ashes and other foreign matters. 

 To know that the scammony contains none of these hetero- 

 geneous substances, the buyer should break the lumps, 

 choose those that are shining interiorly, and reject those that 

 appear too black, burnt, or containing sand. 



* Annales de Chimie, vol. LXXII, p. 69, 



Aleppo 



