AN  ESSAY  ON  SASSAFRAS  OFFICINALE 
487 
of  sassafras  bark  received  in  Baltimore  in  1863,  only  1000 
pounds  was  of  prime  quality,  the  wholesale  price  varying  from  9  to 
15  and  even  20  cents  per  pound  for  superior  lots.  When  taken 
from  vigorous  roots,  the  bark  is  thick  and  succulent,  and  if  dried 
in  the  shade  without  exposure  to  wet  and  damp  it  assumes  a 
bright  cinchona  color,  and  its  flavor  is  pungent  and  aromatic. 
The  woody  portions  of  the  barked  roots,  and  those  roots  not 
thus  treated,  are  now  cut  up  into  chips  for  distillation.  The 
small  distillers  of  New  Jersey  generally  use  old  copper  stills 
and  direct  heat,  hence  it  is  not  unusual  to  notice  such  oil  having 
an  empyreumatic  taint.  Mr.  Murray  describes  the  following 
arrangement  as  that  employed  by  him  and  others,  which  con- 
sists of  a  boiler,  a  large  cylindrical  wooden  still  tank,  and  a  tub 
and  worm  refrigeratory.  The  boiler  in  his  case  is  an  old  still, 
but  any  steam  generator  will  answer.  The  tank  is  of  a  size 
suited  to  hold  eleven  bushels  of  chips  above  the  diaphragm  near 
the  bottom.  The  steam  enters  below  the  diaphragm,  and,  rising 
through  the  chips,  raises  the  temperature  to  212°,  after  which 
it  carries  over  the  oil  gradually  into  the  worm,  and  is  condensed. 
We  understand  from  Mr.  Hart  that  the  distilled  water  is  not 
used  to  supply  the  boiler,  but  presume  that  some  gain  would 
come  from  using  it.  A  charge  of  eleven  bushels  of  chips  yields 
from  one  to  five  pounds  of  oil,  according  to  the  quality  of  the 
roots,  or,  in  fact,  according  to  the  amount  of  bark  on  them. 
Lignum  Sassafras. — It  has  already  been  stated  that  roots  of 
sassafras  are  the  parts  used  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  and  in 
Guibourt,  Lemery,  Morelot  and  other  French  authors,  reference 
is  made  to  the  wood  as  obtained  from  America.  Pereira  says, 
(Mat.  Med.,  vol.  ii.  406,)  "  Sassafras  wood  (Lignum  radicis 
sassafras  vel  ligum  sassafras)  occurs  in  the  form  of  large  stems  or 
branches,  frequently  more  or  less  covered  with  the  bark.  The 
wood  is  soft  or  spongy,  light,  of  a  grayish-reddish  tint,  and  has 
a  fragrant  aromatic  odor.  It  is  usually  sold  cut  up  into  chips-^- 
sassafr as  chips."  Christison  says,  (Disp.  Amer.  Edit.,  p.  847,) 
"  The  parts  used  in  medicine  are  the  root,  wood  and  flowers ; 
but  at  present  the  bark  and  wood  of  the  root  constitute  the  only 
officinal  parts  employed  in  this  country  [Great  Britain].  The 
root  is  imported  in  branchy  pieces,  the  crown  of  which  some- 
