ORIGIN AND COMPOSITION OF GUMMI GUTTA. 
51 
rella of Goertner and Lamark, but that this plant pre- 
sents such characters that botanists will be obliged to es- 
tablish for it another genus in the natural order Guttiferae. 
It is very curious, that the examination of the original speci- 
mens of Koenig whence Murray drew his description, has led 
to the singular discovery that these specimens are falsified; 
many important organs being attached to the branches with 
the gum, in what ever way this has happened, it is what I can 
affirm. 
I have also another memoir almost finished upon the varie- 
ties and falsifications of scammony with details upon its com- 
position. I believe that I told you in my last letter that I was 
occupied with it. Since then I have been enabled to examine 
more or less than thirty difierent varieties and I have analyzed 
eighteen. I believe that the details given by Pharmacologists, 
of the external characters and the chemical composition of 
scammony are not applicable to the scammony which is 
found at present in commerce, probably because the fa- 
bricators have changed their mode of preparation in pro- 
portion as the sale has increased. One thing certain is 
that pure scammony is so rare, that even in London, where 
according to my knowledge the greater part arrives, it was 
not possible to find a pure specimen during a whole year. 
Journ. de Pharm,. 
