Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Jan.,  1890. 
Sterculia  Gum. 
21 
to  show  the  incorrectness  of  the  idea  that  they  are  similar  to  traga- 
canth, except  in  some  superficial  characteristics. 
The  author  cannot  at  present  see  any  commercial  future  before  gum 
of  the  Australian  species ;  the  same  conclusion  has  long  since  been 
arrived  at  in  regard  to  those  produced  by  India  ones;  in  regard  to 
an  African  species  we  have  the  experiments  of  Fluckiger  (infra). 
INDIAN. 
(Thirty-one  species  are  described  in  the  "  Flora  of  British  India.") 
Many  Indian  species  yield  gums,  but  that  of  8.  urens,  Roxb.,  is 
best  known.  It  is  obtained  from  cracks  and  incisions  in  the  bark, 
and  is  mixed  with  that  of  S.  villosa  and  Cochlospermum,  and  sold 
under  the  name  of  "  kalila  "  or  "  katira  "  (Brandis).  It  is  used  in 
India  for  making  sweetmeats  (Cat.  Kew  Museums).  It  exudes  spon- 
taneously during  the  hot  season,  and  occurs  in  large,  light-brown, 
transparent  tough  masses.  Immersed  in  water  these  swell  like  a  jelly, 
and  do  not  dissolve  but  by  protracted  boiling.  The  solution  is  not 
adhesive,  and  is  destitute  of  the  thickness  of  solutions  of  ordinary 
gum.  The  uses  of  the  gum  are  very  limited  ;  the  want  of  adhesive- 
ness renders  it  unsuitable  for  the  arts,  while  its  difficult  solubility  ren- 
ders it  inferior  to  most  other  gums  for  medicinal  purposes  (O'Shaugh- 
nessy,  "  Dispens.").  From  time  to  time  samples  have  been  sent  to 
Europe  for  valuation,  but  hitherto  no  use  has  been  found  for  it,  and 
consequently  it  has  no  appreciable  value  in  the  markets.  The  only 
purpose  for  which  it  has  hitherto  been  considered  available  is  as  an 
adulterant  of  tragacanth,  but  hardly  as  a  substitute.  Some  samples 
either  of  this,  or  a  very  similar  gum,  have  appeared  in  the  London 
and  Liverpool  markets,  and  sold  at  a  low  price  as  false  tragacanth  and 
hog  gum  (Cooke,  "  Gums  and  Resins  of  India,"  where  further  par- 
ticulars are  given).  Dr.  Dymock  (Pharm.  Journ.  [3],  viii,  p.  161) 
says,  "  Placed  in  water  it  forms  a  firm,  colorless,  tasteless  jelly,  but 
on  the  addition  of  a  large  quantity  [not  unless  heated,  J.  H.  M.]  it 
dissolves  ;  the  solution  is  precipitated  by  acetate  of  lead.  It  is  used 
as  a  substitute  for  tragacanth,  and  is  issued  from  the  Government 
stores."  It  would  be  interesting  to  know  to  what  use  the  gum  is  put 
after  issue,  but  the  same  author's  "  Materia  Medica  of  Western  India" 
throws  no  light  on  the  subject. 
Following  are  two  extracts  from  a  "  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  the 
Gums  and  Resins  in  the  Technological  Museum,"  which  is  nearly 
ready  for  the  press. 
* 
