8 
SPURIOUS  winter's  bark. 
use,  its  wide  geographical  range,  are  strong  points  as  to  their 
identity. 
We  have,  in  the  papers  mentioned,  but  one  physical  descrip- 
tion of  the  bark  given,  that  of  Dr.  Ure.  He  states  that  it  is  three 
to  four  lines  thick,  brittle,  though  somewhat  fibrous;  emitting, 
when  fresh  bruised,  an  aromatic  flavor,  not  unlike  that  of  cala- 
mus. It  is  of  brown  hue,  covered  with  an  ash-colored,  tubercu- 
lous epiderm  ;  it  possesses  a  bitter  pungent  taste.  This  descrip- 
tion is  similar  to  that  given  by  Pereira  for  the  Corky  Cop;ilchi, 
and  in  every  particular  answers  the  description  of  the  bark  I 
have  in  my  possession,  obtained  in  New  York. 
Now  let  us  examine  the  chemical  examination  of  these  barks 
and  the  products  obtained. 
Malambo  bark,  analysed  by  Gassicourt,  yielded :  1st.  An  aro- 
matic oil  (volatile).  2d.  A  bitter  resin.  3d.  An  extract  soluble 
in  water,  which  yielded  ammonia  when  heated  with  caustic  potas. 
It  afforded  no  tannin,  scarcely  a  trace  of  gallic  acid  and  no  alka- 
loids. 
The  Copalchi  bark  analysed  by  Erandes,  yielded  a  resin,  concrete 
fatty  oil,  a  bitter  principle,  on  which  its  activity  depends,  but 
no  alkaloid.  Mercadieu  found  in  it  an  astringent  matter  of  deep 
brown  color,  an  exceedingly  bitter  principle,  no  alkaloid,  &c.  &c. 
Mr.  Howard  also  has  analysed  it  with  similar  results. 
The  bark  I  have  in  my  possession  has  been  submitted  to  the 
following  operation  :  1000  grains  of  the  bark  yielded  by  distilla- 
tion an  oil  which  floated  upon  water  and  another  heavier,  which 
sank  in  water ;  it  was  bitter  to  the  taste,  and  had  the  peculiar 
odor  of  the  bark  when  bruised.  2d.  Four  ounces  of  the  bark  in 
coarse  powder  was  treated  with  alcohol  in  a  displacer,  a  dark 
brown  tincture  was  the  result ;  this  was  then  evaporated  upon 
the  water  bath,  and  water  added  as  the  spirit  evaporated;  upon 
cooling,  a  dark  colored  oil  was  found  floating  upon  the  surface, 
and  a  dark  oleo-resin  deposited  upon  the  bottom  of  the  dish.  The 
oil  floating  upon  the  surface  was  carefully  collected,  and  weighed 
27  grains.  The  oleo-resin  also  was  collected,  and  weighed  56 
grains.  They  both  possessed  an  exceedingly  bitter  taste  and 
the  peculiar  aroma  of  the  bark.  The  watery  portion  of  the  ope- 
ration had  also  a  bitter  taste  ;  it  was  filtered  to  separate  resin, 
&c.    With  sesqui  salts  of  iron,  it  gave  no  indications  of  the  pre- 
