GLEANINGS  FROM  THE  FRENCH  JOURNALS.  231 
Oarapa  touloucouna  is  the  name  of  a  tropical  tree  growing  in 
Guiana,  the  bark  of  which  has  recently  been  investigated  by  M. 
E.  Caventou  (Journ.  de  Pharm.  Mar.  1859.)  This  beautiful  tree 
attains  the  height  of  70  to  80  feet,  and  from  three  to  five  feet  in 
diameter.  It  belongs  to  the  natural  family  Meliaceae.  Its  bark 
is  in  pieces  from  6  to  10  inches  long,  li  to  3  inches  wide,  and 
about  4  lines  thick.  Its  external  surface  is  deep  gray,  rugose; 
the  epiderm  is  removed  in  places,  so  as  to  show  a  reddish  surface; 
on  some  specimens  white  lichinoid  plates  occur.  The  interme- 
diate surface  is  yellowish,  and  perfectly  smooth.  When  chewed  it 
is  bitter,  and  the  author  supposed  it  contained  a  febrifuge  al- 
kaloid, but  he  proved  to  be  mistaken.  The  following  is  the  re- 
sult of  his  analysis  : — 1st,  Touloucounin',  2d,  soluble  red  color- 
ing-matter; 3d,  insoluble  red  coloring-matter;  4th,  yellow  color- 
ing-matter, 5th,  green  fatty  matter,  besides  gum,  wax,  traces  of 
starch  and  lignin.  Touloucounin  is  a  bitter  resinous  substance, 
does  not  crystallize,  has  a  slight  acid  reaction,  insoluble  in  ether, 
very  soluble  in  alcohol  and  chloroform,  and  but  slightly  soluble 
in  water,  requiring  1400  parts  of  this  solvent.  Its  ultimate  com- 
position is  C20  H14  O8. 
M.  Caventou  has  suggested  several  pharmaceutic  formula 
which  are  probably  premature,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  it  has  not 
been  used  sufficiently  to  develope  its  therapeutic  properties. 
Ethereal  Oil  of  Horse-chestnuts  (Marron  d'Inde).  M.  Genevoix 
(Bulletin  de  Therapeutique)  states  that  the  ethereal  oil  of  horse- 
chestnuts  has  been  employed  recently  as  a  topical  agent  in  the 
early  stages  of  gout  and  rheumatism. 
It  is  prepared,  by  percolating  the  feculent  matter  of  the  ker- 
nel of  this  seed  with  ether,  which  removes  fixed  oil,  and  by  evap- 
oration yields  it  ready  for  use.  Ten  kilogrammes  of  the  chest- 
nuts (21  pounds)  yielded  but  ten  grammes  (2j  drachms)  of  the 
oil.  This  oil  is  applied  to  the  part  by  means  of  a  camel's  hair 
pencil,  several  times  over  if  the  pain  is  severe,  and  the  part  then 
covered  with  wax-paper,  wadding,  or  flannel,  and  the  patient 
kept  quiet.  The  dressing  may  be  renewed  two  or  three  times  a 
day. 
New  mode  of  preparing  Medicated  Suppositories,  with  butter 
