CLUSIACEiE. 155 



sidered as an acid by some writers, and is called the Gambogic ; it is the 

 active principle, the gum being inert. 



Gamboge was first described by Clusius in 1605. It was brought from 

 China by the Dutch, under the name of Ghittaiemou, and soon attained 

 much celebrity as a hydragogue purgative. Several kinds are found in 

 commerce ; that from Siam being in cylinders or pipes, or in lumps and cakes, 

 the first being most esteemed ; that from Ceylon, which is unknown in our 

 market, is stated by Dr. Christison to be in roundish flattish masses, as if 

 moulded in shallow bowls. The only article that can be confounded with 

 Gamboge is a gum-resin from New Holland, called yellow gum, the produce 

 of the Xanthorrhcea hastile ; but as the alkalies act in a very different man- 

 ner on it than on Gamboge, any falsification could be readily detected. 



Medical Properties, SfC — rGamboge is an active hydragogue and drastic 

 purgative, less active than elaterium or croton oil, but more so than jalap, 

 scammony, or colocynth. It is very apt to cause irritation of the stomach 

 and produce nausea and vomiting. This has been explained on the ground 

 of its ready solubility in the fluids of the stomach ; but as aloes and some other 

 purgative substances are equally soluble, and yet do not act on this viscus in 

 so decided a manner, it is much more reasonable to attribute it to the great acri- 

 dity of the substance. The best mode of obviating it is to give the medicine 

 in the form of a pill, or to combine it with some article that will lessen its 

 acrid properties. 



Gamboge is a purgative well calculated for those cases where a powerful 

 impression is wished to be made on the bowels, either to rouse them to acti- 

 vity when they are torpid, or to make them a centre of irritation, to relieve 

 some other organ. From the hydragogue powers of this drug, it has also 

 proved extremely beneficial, where it is of importance that large quantities of 

 the fluids should be eliminated, as in dropsies. For this purpose Gamboge, 

 in combination with jalap or cream of tartar, is very serviceable. Jf it be 

 combined with an alkali it will also act on the kidneys. As an anthelmintic 

 it has also been found useful, more, however, from its evacuating powers, 

 than from any action it exercises on the worms themselves. From its ex- 

 treme activity and irritating qualities, it is contra-indicated whenever there is 

 inflammation of the stomach or bowels; in the pregnant state or in an excited 

 condition of the uterus in females, and where there is irritation or disease of 

 the urinary organs. 



The dose is from one to four grains, in the form of pill, to be repeated 

 until the desired effect is produced. An excellent mode of giving it, is in the 

 form of the Compound Cathartic Pill, U. S. P. 



Many other plants of this order are possessed of medical properties. The 

 Calophyllum inophyllum affords an oil from its nuts, which is much prized 

 in the Philippine Islands as an application in rheumatic affections ; it is also 

 used for burning. Dr. Horsfield states, that in Java the nuts and bark of the 

 root are considered to possess diuretic properties. This plant and the C. 

 calaba furnish the resin known as Ea'st Indian Tacamahaca, and Barham 

 {Hart. Amer. 18) speaks of the balsam from the C. brasiliense as of great 

 efficacy as a vulnerary. 



In the genus Mesua, the bark and root are bitter and aromatic, and possess 

 much sudorific power; the leaves are mucilaginous, and the unripe fruit aro- 

 matic, acrid, and purgative. From the wood an oil is obtained, somewhat 

 resembling that of anise ; it has been analyzed by M. Lassaigne (Jour, de 

 Pharm., ix. 468). An article derived from the West Indies and South Ame- 



