/ 
5oo 
Xanthoxylon  Senegalense. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Oct.,  1890. 
transverse  section  of  a  quill  not  thicker  than  one  millimetre 
exhibits  the  three  layers  described  as  characterizing  that  bark. 
The  schlerenchymatous  ring  is  covered  by  a  parenchyma  rich  in  oil 
ducts,  so  that  it  is  obvious  that  the  flavor  of  the  drug  could  not  be 
improved  by  scraping." 
The  expedition  of  Lieut.  Gamier  for  the  exploration  of  Cochin 
China  found  cassia  (?)  growing  wild  in  about  north  latitude  190. 
Dr.  Thorel  also  states  that  it  grows  in  a  wild  state  in  the  forests  of 
Cochin  China.  Ford  in  his  West  River  expedition,  1882,  says  C. 
Cassia  was  not  met  with  anywhere  in  a  wild  state,  nor  could  any 
native  be  found  who  knew  where  it  did  grow  wild. 
Dumoutier's  "  Essai  sur  la  Pharmacie  Annamite  "  mentions  both 
the  bark  of  cinnamon  and  cassia. 
BARK  OF  XANTHOXYLON  SENEGALENSE  (ARTAR 
ROOT).1 
By  P.  Giacosa  and  M.  Soave. 
After  a  description  of  the  known  species  of  Xanthoxylon  and  of 
the  literature  of  the  subject,  the  following  results  are  given  of  the 
examination  of  artar  root,  which  presumably  belongs  to  X.  Sene- 
galense, D.  C. 
The  root  is  generally  cylindrical,  somewhat  contorted,  and  cov- 
ered with  bark,  the  underlying  wood  is  pale  yellow  with  minute 
white  spots,  the  annual  rings  are  barely  visible,  the  medullary  rays 
are  very  fine  and  waving,  and  meet  at  the  centre,  where,  however, 
there  is  no  pith;  the  wood  is  very  close,  tough,  hard  and  heavy, 
and  has  neither  taste  nor  smell.  The  bark  is  covered  with  waving, 
longitudinal  furrows ;  in  color  it  is  reddish-brown,  with  bright,  yel- 
low spots,  or  yellow  with  grayish  patches ;  it  has  a  peculiar  aro- 
matic odor,  and  a  taste  which  is  aromatic  at  first,  then  burning, 
and  causes  itching  of  the  tongue. 
The  authors  have  previously  mentioned  (1888)  the  occurrence  in 
a  specimen  of  this  bark  of  a  fixed  oil,  of  a  neutral,  crystalline  sub- 
stance melting  at  about  1200,  and  of  two  alkaloids,  the  more  abun- 
dant of  which  is  amorphous;  the  other,  which  occurs  only  in  small 
quantity,  crystallizes  in  large,  blood-red  needles  soluble  in  hot 
water. 
1  Gazzetta,  19,  303-333.  Reprinted  from  Jour,  Chem.  Soc,  August,  1890, 
p.  918. 
