Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  "I 
Aug.,  1885.  I 
Analysis  of  Ilex  Cassine. 
389 
districts  of  Mexico  the  tree  yields  a  resin  which  is  externally  dark 
gray,  internally  dark  }3rown,  when  heated  of  a  balsamic  odor,  of  a 
bitter  resinous  taste,  completely  soluble  in  alcohol ;  it  is  only  used  in 
plasters. 
AIS^ALYSIS  OF  THE  LEAVES  OF  ILEX  CASSINE. 
By  F.  p.  Venable,  Ph.  D. 
The  Yopon  [Ilex  Cassine,  Linn.),  is  described  in  Hale's  "  Woods 
and  Timbers  of  North  Carolina,"  as  an  elegant  shrub  ten  to  fifteen 
feet  high,  but  sometimes  rising  into  a  small  tree  twenty  to  twenty-five 
feet.  It  has,  according  to  the  same  authority,  for  its  habitat  the  strip 
of  country  from  A^irginia  southward  along  the  coast,  never  extending, 
however,  very  far  into  the  interior.  The  leaves  are  one  half  to  one 
inch  long,  with  a  smooth  surface,  and  fine  serrated  edge.  The  plant 
is  an  evergreen,  and  its  dark  green  leaves  and  bright  red  berries  make 
it  attractive  as  an  ornamental  shrub.  In  the  region  of  the  Dismal 
Swamp,  and  in  other  sections  the  leaves  are  annually  gathered,  dried, 
and  used  for  tea.  This  decoction  is,  according  to  Hale,  oppressively 
sudorific,  at  least  to  those  unaccustomed  to  its  use.  The  famous 
^'  Black  Drink  "  of  the  Southern  Indians  was  made  from  the  leaves  of 
this  shrub.  "  At  a  certain  time  of  the  year  they  come  down  in  droves 
from  a  distance  of  some  hundred  miles,  to  the  coast  for  the  leaves  of 
this  tree.  They  make  a  fire  on  the  ground  and  putting  a  great  kettle 
of  water  on  it,  they  throw  in  a  large  quantity  of  these  leaves,  and 
seating  themselves  around  the  fire,  from  a  bowl  that  holds  about  a  pint, 
they  begin  drinking  large  draughts,  which  in  a  short  time  occasions 
them  to  vomit  freely  and  easily.  Thus  they  continue  for  the  space  of 
two  or  three  days,  until  they  have  sufficiently  cleansed  themselves,  and 
then  every  one  taking  a  bundle  of  the  leaves,  they  all  retire  to  their 
habitations."  Having  on  hand  a  small  sample  of  these  leaves  pro- 
cured from  New  Berne  during  the  winter  of  1883,  it  seemed  desirable 
to  make  an  examination  of  them  to  decide,  if  possible,  the  presence  ot 
any  alkaloid  or  other  principle  which  would  make  the  decoction  useful 
as  a  beverage.  The  usual  treatment  with  magnesium  oxide,  exhaustion 
with  water,  separation  by  means  of  chloroform  and  subsequent  purifi- 
<;ation,  was  adhered  to,  resulting  in  obtaining  a  small  amount  of  a 
white  substance  slightly  soluble  in  water,  more  so  in  alcohol,  and 
