248 
Ava>  or  Kava-Kava. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm, 
\       May,  1877. 
Ostruthin  hydrobromate  is  prepared  in  the  same  way,  but  on 
attempting  to  crystallize  from  ether,  it  was  decomposed,  bromine  being 
liberated. 
A  combination  with  hydriodic  acid  could  not  be  obtained,  owing 
to  the  liberation  of  iodine. 
Among  the  products  of  decomposition  obtained  by  adding  ostruthin 
to  fusing  potassa,  resorcin  was  found.  Treated  with  strong  nitric  acid, 
it  is  first  converted  into  a  resinous  body  and  finally  into  oxalic  acid  ; 
but  when  boiled  for  a  long  time  with  nitric  acid,  diluted  with  three  parts 
of  water,  it  yields  styphnic  and  a  little  oxalic  acid. 
Chlorine  yields  with  difficulty,  bromine  more  readily,  substitution 
compounds. — Liebig's  Ann.  d.  Chetn.^  clxxxiii,  p.  321-343. 
AVA,  OR 
1.  Superficial  longitudinal  section  of  root, 
showing  the  meshes  of  wood  beneath 
the  thin  bark. 
Forst.,  indigenous  to  New  Zealan 
is  known  there  as  kava-kava,  but  is 
VA-KAVA.1 
This  plant,  Piper  methysticumy 
Miq.,  is  cultivated  in  Tahiti,  Ha- 
waii and  many  other  islands  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  is  known 
there  under  the  names  of  yaquonay 
ava-ava^  kawa  and  kava-kava. 
It  is  a  shrub  about  6  feet  high, 
with  branches  attaining  a  thickness 
of  1  to  ij  inches.  Leaves  4  to 
8  inches  long,  nearly  as  wide,, 
cordate  with  a  short  acumination, 
apparently  smooth,  but  under  the 
magnifier  appearing  covered  with 
short  hairs  mainly  upon  the 
veins,  10  to  12  ribbed  with  the 
three  central  veins  usually  close 
together  for  about  half  an  inch  ; 
petiole  1  to  ij  inch  long,  dila- 
ted at  the  base.  Piper  excehum, 
i,  resembles  the  former  plant,  and 
used  only  as  tea  and  against  tooth- 
condensed  from  the  "  Pharmac.  Jour,  and  Trans.,"  Aug.  19,  1876,  and  from 
"  Phar.  Zeitschr.  f.  Russ.,"  Oct. ;  the  cuts  from  "  New  Remedies." — Editor. 
