216  MATIAS  BARK. 
according  to  the  authority  of  M.  Henry.  He  then  suggested  it 
to  me  as  a  subject  of  sufficient  interest  for  examination  in  order 
to  determine,  if  possible,  the  true  name  and  nature  of  the  so- 
called  Winter's  bark.  In  hope  of  being  able  to  establish  this 
fact,  the  following  investigations  were  undertaken.  The  only 
information  I  could  get  from  the  importer  in  reference  to  the 
bark  was,  that  it  was  shipped  from  the  port  of  Maracaybo,  and 
was  invoiced  Pale  Matias  ;  but  how  he  came  to  regard  it  as  the 
true  Winter's  bark,  he  could  not  give  sufficient  explanation,  other 
than  that  in  appearance  and  aromatic  properties  it  resembled  it. 
How  far  a  party  is  justifiable  in  making  representations  upon 
such  slight  evidence  is  not  difficult  to  determine. 
Description. 
The  bark  as  it  presents  itself  is  in  pieces  of  from  one  to  three 
inches  wide,  from  three  to  four  lines  in  thickness,  and  from  a 
a  few  inches  to  two  feet  in  length,  and  has  a  slight  inward  curve. 
The  inside  of  the  bark  is  mostly  of  a  dark  brown  color,  while 
the  external  side  is  of  a  pale  yellowish  tinge,  with  a  surface 
somewhat  smooth,  but  where  it  is  studded  with  a  curious  tuber- 
culous excrescence.  It  breaks  with  a  splintery  fracture,  exhibit- 
ing a  dull  rusty  brown  color.  To  the  taste  it  is  exceedingly 
bitter  and  aromatic.  It  breaks  easily  under  the  pestle,  and  the 
powder  has  a  snuffy  color  and  a  moist  and  oily  appearance, 
owing  to  the  large  amount  of  oil  the  bark  contains.  The  odor 
of  the  freshly  powdered  bark  is  powerfully  aromatic  and  diffu- 
sive. 
ANALYSIS. 
Experiment  1st. — 1,000  grains  of  the  finely  bruised  bark  were 
put  into  a  retort  of  sufficient  capacity,  with  one  pint  of  water, 
and  allowed  to  macerate  twenty-four  hours,  after  which,  heat 
was  applied,  and  the  distillation  commenced.  The  water  soon 
passed  over  charged  with  the  oil;  when  the  water  had  nearly  all 
passed  over  and  ceased  to  have  a  milky  appearance,  the  process 
was  stopped,  and  the  distillate  was  set  aside  for  twenty-four  hours, 
so  as  to  allow  the  complete  separation  of  the  oil.  With  a  small 
glass  syringe  the  oil  was  then  carefully  removed  from  the  water. 
The  product  was  half  a  fluid  drachm  of  oil  of  a  light  yellowish 
color,  possessing  the  strong  aromatic  odor  of  the  bark,  and  com- 
pletely soluble  in  alcohol  and  ether. 
