154 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



H. piclorium. 

 1. Berry. 2. Calyx. 3. Cells of berry. 4, 5, 6. Seeds. 



Dr. Roxburgh says that the colour of the gamboge from this tree is supe- 

 rior to the Chinese, but not so permanent. Mr. Dyer, from whom he pro- 

 cured it, states that it is 

 Fig. 86. as effective as a purga- 



tive, and equal in all 

 respects to any other 

 kind. Dr. Christison, 

 who examined some 

 gamboge from Wynaad, 

 says that it has the com- 

 position of the Siam, 

 but with less gum ; is a 

 good purgative, and not 

 fugacious, as asserted 

 by Roxburgh (Royle, 

 O. C. 304). 



It is evident, however, 

 that although the Hebra- 

 dendron furnishes the 

 Ceylon gamboge,that a 

 similar product is af- 

 forded by a variety of 

 trees of the natural or- 

 der of Clusiacese, perhaps from the whole of them. Mrs. Walker, a resi- 

 dent of Ceylon, from whom Dr. Graham obtained his specimens, states that 

 gamboge "is collected by cutting pieces of the bark completely off, about the 

 size of the palm of the hand, early in the morning. The gamboge oozes out 

 from the pores of the bark in a' semi-liquid state, but soon thickens and is 

 scraped off by the collectors next morning, without injury to the tree, the 

 wounds in the bark readily healing and becoming fit to undergo the opera- 

 tion again." She also says that the juice of the Garcitiia cambogia, one of 

 the most common trees in her vicinity, affords a similar juice, but that it never 

 hardens thoroughly, and is not collected by the natives. 



Almost all the gamboge of commerce is from Siam, and not from Ceylon; 

 but, as before stated, as they are identical in chemical composition, it is highly 

 probable they are the product if not of the same species, at least of plants of 

 the same genus. Pereira observes that it has been suggested, that the plant 

 may have been carried from Siam to Ceylon, for the religion of Bhudda is 

 supposed to have passed from the former to the latter, and with it the practice, 

 of painting the temples and holy dresses with gamboge. According to Mur- 

 ray, this gum-resin is obtained in a different manner in Siam from that de- 

 scribed by Mrs. Walker as practised in Ceylon ; he states that the small 

 branches and leaves are broken or torn, and the resinous juice that exudes 

 is received either in leaves or cocoa-nut shells, and thence poured into flat 

 earthen vessels, where it is allowed to harden sufficiently to be made into rolls, 

 which are then enveloped in leaves ; or else poured into bamboo cylinders, 

 whilst still liquid. 



Gamboge is a gum-resin, of a yellow orange colour, which deepens on ex- 

 posure to the air, opaque, brittle, having a conchoidal fracture, possessing 

 very little smell, but a taste which, although insipid at first, becomes acrid; 

 it tinges the saliva of a bright yellow colour. It is soluble in the alkalies, 

 alcohol, and the essential oils, but only forms an emulsion with water. It is 

 composed of about three parts of resin to one part of gum. The resin is con- 



