180 
EDITORIAL. — PEREIRA's  MATERIA  MED[CA. 
the  ergot :  this  consists  of  a  layer  of  longitudinally  elongated  delicate  cells, 
(See  fig.  212  c.)  3d,  The  bloom,  which  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  covers  the 
violet  coat  of  the  ergot ;  it  resembles  the  bloom  of  plumbs  and  may  be  readily 
wiped  off.  According  to  the  late  Mr.  Queckett  it  consists  of  the  sporidia  of 
the  Oidium  abortifaciens,  but  Corda  describes  it  as  consisting  of  two  parts; 
a  layer  of  cylindrical  undivided  cells  (sporospores  or  basidia,  fig.  212  6.) 
Supporting  the  spores,  (figs.  212  and  213. )'? 
The  article  on  sugar  has  been  increased,  particularly  in  reference  to 
the  manufacture,  optical  properties  and  chemistry  of  this  substance. 
The  botanical  history  of  aloes  has  been  revised.  The  observations  of 
Messrs.  Smith  on  aloin  are  merely  mentioned.  The  paper  of  Dr.  Pereira 
on  socotrine  aloe  juice  corroborating  the  observation  of  Messrs.  Smith, 
was  published  too  late  for  notice  in  his  work.  Squill  is  referred  to 
Urginea  scilla.  The  calcareous  crystals  in  squill  are  called  phosphate 
or  oxalate  of  lime.  M.  Tilloy  has  recently  ascertained  them  to  be  the 
citrate  of  that  base.  Tous  les  mois  is  referred  to  Canna  edulis,  and  a 
figure  of  the  wheel  rasp  used  at  St.  Kitts  in  its  manufacture  is  appended  to 
the  article.  Curcuma  is  illustrated  with  eight  new  wood  cuts.  The  subject 
of  cardamoms,  a  favorite  one  with  the  author,  has  grown  from  ten  to  seven- 
teen pages.  The  new  matter  relates  to  grains  of  paradise,  Java  cardamoms, 
Korarima  cardamoms,  and  several  other  amomums,  and  a  new  figure  of 
the  Elettaria  major  or  Ceylon  cardamom  is  introduced.  The  history  of 
vanilla  is  more  fully  made  out  than  we  have  elsewhere  seen  it.  Five  species 
of  the  plant  are  described,  and  eight  commercial  varieties  noticed. 
The  sarsaparillas  have  been  revised  with  great  care,  more  especially  their 
botanical  history,  and  structure  as  developed  by  the  microscope.  Brazil- 
ian sarsaparilla  is  referred  to  Smilax  Papyracea  instead  of  Syphilitica.  Mr. 
Bentley*  attributes  the  Gautamala  sarsaparilla  to  this  species  also.  Dr. 
Pereira  has  attempted  to  illustrate  the  commercial  varieties  with  wood  cuts, 
;and  has  succeeded  much  better  than  we  would  have  supposed. 
In  regard  to  the  starch  in  sarsaparillas,  Dr.  Pereira  remarks:  "It  is  most 
abundant  in  the  Caraccas,  Brazillian  and  Honduras  varieties  to  which  it  gives 
their  mealy  character.  According  to  Schleiden  it  exists  in  two  forms — as 
grains  and  as  paste.  The  starch  grains  are  arranged  in  groups  of  2,  3,  4.  or  6; 
their  shapes  being  modified  by  their  mutual  compression  ;  their  prevailing 
form  being  that  of  a  mullar.  Their  average  length  is  about  l-2000th  of  an 
inch.  The  nucleus  or  central  cavity  is  scarcely  perceptible  by  ordinary 
light,  but  by  the  aid  of  polarized  light  its  position  may  be  determined,  as  it 
is  at  the  junction  of  the  arms  of  the  cross." 
££  Starch  paste  or  amorphous  starch  is  found  in  some  of  the  cortical  cells.  It 
is  more  abundant  in  Vera  Cruz  sarsaparilla  which  is  sun  dried,  than  in  the 
Brazillian  sort  which  has  been  dried  by  exposure  to  the  smoke  of  fires ;  hence 
probably,  its  formation  depends  on  the  season  and  not  on  the  action  of  heat 
on  the  starch  grain.    Iodine  colors  it  blue/' 
The  account  of  the  turpentines  has  been  further  extended,  and  especially 
in  relation  to  the  chemical  and  optical  properties  of  the  volatile  oil.  Dr. 
Pereira  on  several  occasions  explains  the  process  of  applying  the  phenomena 
*  Pharm.  Journal,  xii.  470. 
