N. O. THYMELACCE&. 1111 



Chcm. com — The fresh bark was beaten into a paste in a mortar, and the 

 mass divided and placed in two bottles, one containing ether and the 

 other spirit of wine ; they were both shaken occasionally and the mixture 

 allowed to macerate for 24 hours. The ether extract was filtered off and 

 evaporated at a very low temperature until a thick, green, greasy substance 

 was left. This was washed with warm water and a small piece placed upon 

 the skin of the arm and spread, so as to cover a space the size of a rupee. In 

 about two hours irritation of the skin was produced, and, on removing the 

 covering of the arm, it was found that several small blisters had formed 

 under the extract and extending beyond it. The alcoholic tincture was 

 then removed by filtration and carefully evaporated under a gentle heat. 

 The residue contained very little of the green-coloured resinous matter, but 

 a large quantity of saccharine substance, which was non-crystalline. This 

 extract was applied to the skin as in the previous experiment, but the appli- 

 cation was followed by only a slight reddening due to the small amount of 

 resin in the dried extract. The resin appears to be the source of the vesicat- 

 ing principle of the bark. It has an acid reaction in neutral solvents, is 

 soluble in ammonia with a yellowish-brown colour, and is associated in the 

 'ethereal extract with a fatty base which facilitates its use as a blistering 

 agent. (Pharmacog. Ind. III. 226.) 



1100. Aquilaria Agallocha, Roxb H.F.B.I., V. 

 199 ; Roxb. 377. 



Sans. : — Agaru. 



The Sanskrit agaru (a privative, and garu heavy— a name given to it from 

 the circumstance that it does not fioat on water) is the root from which most 

 of its vernacular names have been derived Laghu of lauha, another Sanskrit 

 and Pali synonym, is supposed by some to be the origin of the expression 

 Aloes-wood— and might therefore be accepted as denoting a light form that 

 would float on water. (Watt's Comml. Prod.) 



Vevn. : — Agar (Hind.); Agaru, ugar (Beng.) ; Agare-hindi, iid, 

 aud, aude-hindi, ude-hindi, agalugen (Arab.); Agre-hindi, agar 

 (Pers.) ; Od, (id farsi (Pb.); Agarahindiagara (Bomb.); Agar (Guj.); 

 Agar, aggalichanda (Tarn.) ; Krishna agaru, agui, Kashtamu 

 (Tel.); Sasi, saclii, bislatn (Ass.). 



Habitat :— Eastern Himalaya ; Bhotan ; Assam ; Kbasia Mts.; 

 Silhet and Tippera hills. 



A tall, evergreen tree; young shoots, silky. Bark thin, tough 

 and very even in surface and texture. " The bast," says Brandis, 

 " when prepared, resembles parchment, and was used by the 

 old King of Assam to write upon." Wood white, soft, even- 

 grained, scented when fresh cut. In the interior of old trees 



