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ON THE SARSAPARILL A OF BRZIL. 
ART. LXVIII.— UPON THE SARSAPARILLA OF BRAZIL. 
By A. Richard. 
Brazil, from the extent and variety of provinces per- 
taining to it, is undoubtedly one of those countries that fur- 
nish the greatest number of useful medicines. Already, 
many learned naturalists, at the head of whom, are to be 
placed, MM. Auguste St. Hilaire, Martius, Riedel, &c. have 
made us acquainted with a great number of the treasures 
which therapeutics can draw from this beautiful country. 
May we not hope, that young Brazilians, animated with the 
desire to become useful to their fellow citizens, will hasten 
to enter the path that has been opened to them by the Euro- 
pean naturalists who have visited the different parts of the 
Brazilian empire, and will collect gradually all the materials 
necessary for the preparation of a medical, and economical 
natural history of that country. 
Among the medicines that commerce has brought from 
Brazil, is one with respect to which we have (at least in 
France) but an incomplete account ; this is the kind of sar- 
saparilla called Portuguese or Brazilian. This kind is 
now so much diffused in commerce, that it is scarcely of 
higher price than the Mexican. The fibres are very long, 
cylindrical, rugose longitudinally, presenting lateral fibrillar. 
Their color is brown, or sometimes very deep gray, bor- 
dering upon black. This difference evidently depends upon 
the nature of the soil in which the plant has grown. The 
color internally, is nearly white. Its taste is insipid, a little 
mucilaginous, and slightly bitter. This last flavor only de- 
velopes itself when the root has been kept some time in 
the mouth. 
This root generally comes from the provinces of Para and 
Maranhas. It is in cylindrical bundles of some length, and 
closely wrapped with a band, which goes from one end to 
