.  300  Benzoin  Odoriferum,  Nees.  {k^Xi,mS^ 
ceptible  results.  Nitric  acid  and  corrosive  sublimate  were  each  tried, 
but  neither  produced  a  precipitate,  nor  was  any  effect  produced  by 
the  addition  of  tannin. 
Liquor  potassoe  and  sulphate  of  copper  gave  proof  of  grape  sugar, 
both  in  the  expressed  juice  and  in  the  aqueous  extract.  A  green 
color  was  produced  by  the  addition  of  sesquichloride  of  iron  to  both 
the  aqueous  and  alcoholic  extracts. 
The  alcoholic  preparation,  which  was  made  of  the  strength  of  four 
ounces  to  the  pint,  was  found  to  contain,  after  evaporation,  two 
resins,  one  soluble  in  ether,  of  an  oily  character,  leaving  no  stain  on 
heated  paper,  and  the  other  soluble  in  water,  giving  a  precipitate 
with  acetate  of  lead  and  also  with  subacetate  of  lead,  but  not  with 
the  latter  after  the  action  of  neutral  acetate. 
Pectin,  was  indicated  by  the  addition  of  a  hot  solution  of  carbonate 
of  soda  to  two  ounces  of  the  leaves,  allowing  this  to  digest,  and,  after 
straining,  adding  some  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  by  which  a  yellowish 
gelatinous  mass  was  precipitated,  the  liquid  becoming  somewhat 
gelatinous  itself. 
The  therapeutical  effects  of  this  plant  are  the  same  as  those  of  the 
European  Anemone  Pulsatilla  and  Anemone  pratensis  Dr.  W.  11. 
Miller,  of  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  has  used  it  with  decided  success  in 
several  chronic  diseases  of  the  eye,  such  as  cataract,  amaurosis  and 
opacity  of  the  cornea.  It  h;»s  also  been  given  with  good  results  in 
cutaneous  eruptions  and  in  secondary  syphilis.  These  facts  were 
mentioned  in  the  former  thesis  on  this  subject,  and  Dr.  Miller  has 
since  then  (18(33)  used  the  plant  medicinally  with  considerable  suc- 
cess. 
■ 
BENZOIN  ODORIFERUM,  NEES. 
By  J.  Morris  Jones.. 
Extract  from  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
The  common  names  of  this   indigenous  shrub  are  spice  wood, 
spice  bush,  fever  wood,  fever  bush,  Benjamin  bush,  wild  allspice, 
snap-wood,  spice  berry,  allspice  bush. 
The  small  branches  are  used  as  an  aromatic,  stimulant  tonic  in 
the  forms  of  infusion,  tincture  and  fluid  extract.  The  proportions 
of  the  drug  in  these  preparations  are — infusion,  two  ounces  to  the 
pint  of  boiling  water;  tincture  is  two  ounces  to  pint  of  diluted  al- 
cohol, and  the  fluid  extract  is  so  made  that  one  fluid-ounce  represents 
