AmMa^"i895arm'}   Notes  on  Some  Saps  and  Secretions.  255 
The  British  imports  are  very  small,  only  averaging  15  or  16 
packages  now,  whereas  they  were  98  in  1884,  and  73  in  1888. 
Lactuca  species.  From  several  species  of  Lettuca — L.  vtrosa,  L. 
scariola,  L.  altissima  and  L.  sativa — the  drug  known  as  ''Lactu- 
carium  "  is  obtained.  It  is  the  hardened,  milky  juice  which  exudes 
from  the  cut  stems  in  Germany,  France  and  Austria.  The  average 
yield  from  each  plant  is  only  from  40  to  50  grains.  It  occurs  in 
commerce  in  the  form  of  angular  pieces  of  a  brownish  color,  inter- 
nally opaque  and  wax-like.  It  possesses  slightly  narcotic  properties 
and  is  useful  in  coughs. 
Latirus  gigantea. — "  Caparrapi  balsam  "  is  referred  to  this  tree. 
It  is  so  named  from  the  village  of  Caparrapi,  in  the  province  of 
Cudinamarca,  Colombia,  where  it  is  prepared.  It  may  probably 
be  derived  from  Oreodaphne  epifera,  Nees.  The  seed  is  oily  and  has 
a  burning  taste  like  capsicum.  The  balsam  has  an  aromatic  odor 
and  resembles  balsam  of  Tolu,  but  is  more  fluid. 
In  medicine  it  is  used  by  the  natives  as  a  stimulant  in  catarrhal 
complaints',  and  is  also  employed  by  them  in  the  treatment  of  snake 
bites  and  the  stings  of  poisonous  insects. 
Liquidambar  orientale,  Miller  ;  L.  imberbe,  Aiton.  A  balsamic 
gum-resin,  prepared  from  the  bark,  is  known  as  liquid  Storax,  and 
in  the  East  as  "  Rose  Malloes."  It  is  stimulant  and  detergent  and 
similar  in  action  to  the  balsams  of  Peru  and  Tolu. 
Another  species,  L.  styraciflua,  Lin.,  exudes  a  sweet  gum  through 
cracks  in  the  bark  and  wounds  in  the  trunk,  during  all  seasons  of 
the  year,  which  hardens  on  exposure  to  the  air.  It  is  much 
esteemed  by  children  for  chewing  and  is  soluble  in  water.  This 
gum  yields  a  balsam  more  terebinthine  in  odor,  but  almost  as 
pleasant  as  Tolu  balsam.  This  syrup  is  produced  in  the  Southern 
States  of  America.  It  is  transparent,  amber-yellow,  has  the  con- 
sistence of  a  thick  oil,  and  an  aromatic,  bitter  taste.  It  has  been 
used  in  the  form  of  ointment  for  healing  indolent  ulcers,  and  for 
cutaneous  diseases. 
A  syrup  of  Liquidambar  is  used  for  the  diarrhoea  of  infants.  It 
is  largely  exported  from  Bombay  to  China,  where  it  has  for  many 
centuries  been  used  as  a  medicine.  The  dried  and  compressed 
residual  bark,  after  boiling  for  the  storax,  constitutes  the  fragrant 
cakes  formerly  common  and  well  known  in  Europe,  under  the  name 
of  Cortex  Thymiamatis. 
