28 
Note  on  Scammony. 
f  Am.  Joi^r.  Pharm. 
1       Jan.,  1375. 
sent  a  peculiar  pearly  aspect,  which  I  do  not  observe  on  small,  pure 
crystals ;  these  are  perfectly  transparent,  and  I  believe  this  pearly  aspect 
to  be  mainly  owing  to  minute  quantities  of  carbonate  or  sulphate  dis- 
persed through  the  larger  crystals. 
The  sulphovinate  of  soda  could  be  obtained  pure  from  either  of  these 
salts  without  difficulty,  but,  for  the  preparation  of  the  pharmaceutical 
product  on  a  large  scale,  it  is  more  economical  to  make  it  directly.  I 
hope  to  refer  again  to  this  compound. 
London^  No'vember  ^th,  1874. 
NOTE  ON  SCAMMONY.-- 
BY   THOMAS   GREENISH,  F.C.S, 
The  result  of  a  microscopic  examination  of  different  samples  of  vir- 
gin scammony  may  at  the  present  time  possess  some  interest,  and  if  it 
gives  rise  to  a  discussion,  some  remarks  mav  be  elicited  possessing 
more  intrinsic  value  than  the  paper  itself. 
I  was  induced  to  undertake  this  subject  from  having  observed  that 
the  presence  of  starch  was  usually  detected  bv  iodine,  and  that  little 
attention  had  been  given  to  determine  the  particular  kind  of  starch 
granules,  whether  of  wheat,  or  those  peculiar  to  the  scammony  root 
itself. 
The  scammony  which  appears  in  English  commerce  is  principally  of 
four  kinds — virgin  scammony.  Angora  scammony,  Syrian  scammony, 
and  Skeleep  scammony. 
Of  the  virgin  scammony  not  more  than  800  lbs.  arrives  in  this 
country  yearly,  none  of  which  is  again  exported.  Of  the  Angora  and 
Syrian  scammonies  about  half  a  ton  each  are  annually  imported.  Of 
this  quantity  half  remains  in  this  country.  Of  the  Skeleep  scammony 
about  one  ton  annually  arrives  in  London,  only  half  of  which  is  again 
exported. 
The  Angora  and  Syrian  scammonies  vary  in  amount  of  resin  from 
46  to  76  per  cent.,  while  the  Skeleep  contains  about  36  per  cent,  only, 
the  remainder  being  impurity. 
We  have  thus  one  ton  of  adulterated  scammony  remaining  in  this 
country  every  year.  According  to  Mr.  Maltass,  the  peasants  adulte- 
rate scammony  before  bringing  it  into  the  market,  the  adulterations  be- 
Read  before  the  British  Pharmaceutical  Conference,  August  7th,  1874. 
