EXAMINATION OP THE BARK OP MONESIA. 
153 
Chemical Examination. 
The extract of Monesia which has been sent us, is in cakes 
of about 500 grammes, with the thickness of twenty to twen- 
ty-five millimetres, of a deep brown, almost black; it breaks 
readily, and its fracture presents neither the dull brown of 
catechu, or the brilliancy of kino; it is entirely soluble in wa- 
ter; its taste, in the first instance sugary, soon becomes as- 
tringent, and then leaves in the throat well marked acridity, 
remaining for some time. 
The chemical examination of the bark, previously made, 
afforded the following soluble principles: 1st, chlorophylle; 
2d, vegetable wax; 3d, a fatty crystallizable matter; 4th, 
glycyrrhizine ; 5th, an acrid matter a little bitter; 6th, a little 
tannin; 7th, an organic acid not studied ; 8th, a red coloring 
matter, closely resembling that of cinchona; 9th, phosphates 
of lime and magnesia; 10th, a salt of lime with the organic 
acid. The comparison of the imported extract, and that pre- 
pared for this analysis, has evinced their entire identity, with 
the exception of some differences which appertain more or 
less to the modes of preparation. A short time after the read- 
ing of this analysis to the Society of Pharmacy, M. Heyden- 
reich, a pharmaceutist of Strasburgh, examined, at the request 
of Prof. Forget, a small quantity of the bark of Monesia, 
which he had from us: the results of our co-associate are the 
following: 
The ligneous residue, which constituted five-eighths of the 
bark, when treated successively by cold water, boiling water, 
and ether, being reduced to ashes, has shown the presence of 
carbonic, sulphuric, and chlorohydric acids combined with 
much lime, potassa, and a little iron and silica. 
The extract was composed of 
Tannin, becoming blue with iron, 52 
Gum or mucilage, 10 
Sweet matter, 36 
Loss, 2 
VOL. VII. — No. II. 
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