Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
August,  1889.  J 
Canaigre. 
397 
a  certain  stage,  cut  into  small  pieces.  If  allowed  to  get  very  dry 
they  become  so  hard  as  to  resist  any  ordinary  method  of  cutting. 
From  samples  of  the  whole  and  clipped  root,  kindly  furnished  me  by 
Mr.  Denig,  I  have  found  17*33  per  cent,  of  tannin.  This  figure  is 
rather  lower  than  that  obtained  by  other  investigators,  but  the  defi- 
ciency may  be  explained  by  my  sample  containing  more  moisture. 
Dr.  H.  E.  Sturcke1  has  found  a  total  of  28*57  per  cent,  tannin. 
The  ground  root  is  at  present  used  in  a  number  of  tanneries  and 
has  been  found  to  more  closely  resemble  gambier  in  its  action  than 
any  other  tannin  material.  An  extract  has  also  been  prepared  and 
used  which  contains  from  forty  to  sixty  per  cent,  tannin,  and  it  is 
thought  that  in  this  form  it  will  probably  replace  gambier.  Should 
the  hopes  and  efforts  of  those  who  are  engaged  in  the  development  of 
this  material  be  realized,  we  will  have  a  source  of  tannin  which  is 
said  to  be  inexhaustible,  and  which  will  be  the  means  of  either 
bringing  a  better  gambier  into  this  market  or  of  driving  it  entirely 
out  of  use  here.  It  is  said  that  the  dried  and  ground  root  can  be  de- 
livered in  any  part  of  the  United  States  at  a  price  not  exceeding  three 
cents  per  pound. 
Thus  after  a  delay  of  twenty  years  this  root  has  reached  that  stage 
of  practical  application  when  a  useful  future  may  be  predicted  for  it, 
and  the  persistent  efforts  of  the  past  four  years  have  every  prospect  of 
being  rewarded. 
Tne  presence  of  so  much  starch  in  a  tanning  material  is,  perhaps, 
without  precedent,  and  there  are  good  reasons  why  this  is  no  disad- 
vantage. The  properties  of  the  pure  tannin  have  not  been  investiga- 
ted, and  it  is  not  known  whether  canaigre  red  or  gallic  acid  is  the  pro- 
duct of  its  decomposition.  Crystals  have  been  obtained  by  agitating 
an  aqueous  extract  of  the  root  with  ether,  which  do  not  resemble 
either  gallic  acid  or  catechin. 
This  crystalline  compound  and  the  pure  tannin  are  under  investi- 
gation by  me  at  the  present  time. 
Pbenylpropionic  Acid,  C9H10O2—  Dr.  C.  T.  Williams  (Practitioner), 
has  found  it  useful  in  the  treatment  of  phthisical  patients.  The  acid  is  insoluble 
in  water,  but  dissolves  in  six  parts  of  alcohol.    From  ten  to  twenty  minims  of 
#  this  saturated  solution,  diluted  with  from  one  to  two  ounces  of  water,  were 
given  three  times  a  day. 
1  Shoe  and  Leather  Reporter,  Oct.  27th,  1887,  p.  862. 
