130  Notes  on  Some  Saps  and  Secretions.  {x™il^,m$xx* 
Cochlospermnm  Gossypinm,  DeC.  This  tree  and  Stercuha  urens 
yield  a  clear  white  gum,  which  can  be  employed  as  a  substitute  for 
tragacanth,  and  is  exported  to  America.  It  is  issued  to  the  Gov- 
ernment hospitals  in  Bombay  instead  of  tragacanth,  and  is  largely 
used  in  that  city  in  the  manufacture  of  sweetmeats. 
Commia  Cochinc/iinensis,  Lour.  This  tree  yields  a  white  tena- 
cious gum,  of  an  emetic,  purgative,  deobstruent  nature.  If  pru- 
dently administered,  it  is  useful  in  obstinate  dropsy  and  ob- 
structions. 
Copaifera  Lansdorffii,  Desf.  This  and  some  other  species  (C. 
officinalis,  Lin.,  C.  Marlii,  Hayne,  C.  Guianensis,  Desf.,  and  C. 
coriacea,  Mart.)  are  believed  to  yield  the  medicinal  oleo- resin.  It 
is  obtained  chiefly  from  the  Amazon  district,  by  making  incisions  in 
the  tree,  and  the  sap  flows  so  abundantly  that  as  much  as  12  pounds 
weight  is  collected  in  a  few  hours,  and  42  quarts  during  the  season. 
The  source  of  copaiba  is  usually  given  as  C.  multijuga,  but  this  is 
very  questionable.  In  its  medicinal  action,  copaiva  is  of  great  value 
as  a  diuretic  and  stimulant  remedy  in  certain  affections  of  the  bladder 
and  urethra ;  also  in  chronic  bronchitis  and  other  affections  of  the 
lungs  and  air  passages,  attended  with  excessive  secretion.  It  has 
likewise  been  found  serviceable  in  some  chronic  skin  diseases,  as 
leprosy  and  psoriasis.  The  imports  into  London  are  included  with 
other  balsams,  therefore  the  quantity  cannot  be  given.  The  imports 
into  the  United  States,  however,  were,  in  1888,  132,262  pounds;  in 
1889,  163,624  pounds,  and  in  1890,  206,240  pounds. 
Dichopsis  Gntta,  Bentham ;  Isonandra  Percha,  Hooker ;  Ison- 
andra  Gntta,  Lind. ;  Palaquium  Gntta,  Baillon  and  Burck.  Gutta- 
percha, although  chiefly  employed  for  various  economic  purposes, 
has  also  a  few  medicinal  and  surgical  applications.  Sheets  softened 
in  water,  when  applied  to  injured  limbs,  harden  and  form  good 
splints ;  dissolved  in  chloroform,  it  is  applied  as  a  dressing  for 
wounds,  and  various  surgical  instruments  are  made  of  it.  The 
imports  into  Great  Britain  in  1890  were  70,162  cwt.,  of  the  value  of 
nearly  £800,000,  and  in  1893,  40,497  cwt.,  valued  at  £303,593. 
Dipterocarpus  laevis,  Ham. 
The  wood  oil  known  in  all  the  Indian  bazaars  as  "  Gurgun,"  is 
obtained  by  tapping  certain  trees  of  this  order,  and  applying  heat 
to  the  incision.  Several  species  yield  the  oil,  which  has  all  the 
medical  properties  of  some  of  the  more  esteemed  balsams,  especially 
as  a  substitute  for  capaiva,  in  gonorrhoea  and  certain  skin  diseases. 
