534  Assay  cf  Wild  Cherry  Bark.  {A^Sm> 
ASSAY  OF  WILD  CHERRY  BARK.  — 
By  A.  B.  Stevens,  Ph.C,  and  J.  X.  Judy,  Ph.C. 
Presented  to  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  Denver  Meeting,  1895. 
Query  No.  1. — "Is  the  thin,  green  wild  cherry  bark  really  more  valuable 
therapeutically  than  the  older  and  thicker  bark  ?"     Make  comparative  assays. 
The  therapeutic  value  of  the  bark  depends  upon  the  amount  of 
the  active  principles  within  the  bark.  This  principle  is  a  glucoside, 
identical  with  or  closely  allied  to  amygdalin.  Therefore,  the  query 
can  be  answered  only  by  a  comparison  of  the  results  obtained  by 
the  assays  requested. 
The  thick  bar<  occurs  in  the  market  in  slightly  curved  or  arched 
pieces  of  various  sizes,  the  length  being  about  25  to  80  mm.,  and 
the  breadth  13-5  to  50  mm.  The  thickness  of  the  pieces  which 
consist  entirely  (or  nearly  so)  of  the  inner  bark  is  about  3-15  to  4- 16 
mm.  In  cases  where  the  outer  portion  of  the  bark  is  attached  it 
is  nearly  or  quite  6  mm.  thick. 
The  thin  bark  has  the  principal  characteristics  of  the  thick  bark, 
such  as  odor,  fracture  and  color,  which  may  vary  somewhat,  also 
differing  in  thickness,  being  about  2  to  2  8  mm.  thick.  It  is  also 
found  in  the  market  in  somewhat  smaller  fragments  than  the  thick 
bark. 
Both  the  thick  and  thin  barks  vary  in  color  and  other  external 
characteristics  according  to  the  size  of  the  pieces,  and  the  presence 
or  absence  of  the  periderm,  etc.  When  the  periderm  is  attached, 
the  pieces  are  of  rougher  character,  and  in  such  parts  of  the  bark 
the  color  is  redder,  and  somewhat  spotted  at  intervals  with  irregular 
grayish  silver-white  or  brownish  patches.  Some  of  the  smaller 
pieces,  particularly  the  thin  bark,  presents  a  uniform  reddish-yellow 
appearance,  and  is  nearly  smooth  externally.  Internally  the  bark 
has  a  deep  yellowish  or  reddish-brown  color,  the  color  of  the  thick 
bark  being  the  more  intense.  On  the  inner  surface  of  the  bark 
occasional  portions  of  wood  are  found.  The  longitudinal  fracture  is 
close  and  presents  a  rough  surface  of  a  yellowish-gray  color  inter- 
spersed with  reddish  spots  and  stripes.  The  transverse  fracture  is 
close,  somewhat  rough  and  fibrous,  and  of  a  redder  hue  than  the 
longitudinal.  The  texture  of  the  bark  is  somewhat  spongy,  partic- 
ularly the  inner  layers. 
Carefully  selected  samples  of  each  variety  were  obtained  and  the 
wood  and  outside  rough  portions  removed,  after  which  the  bark  was 
