ON  LIQUIDAMBAR  STYRAC1FLTJA. 
413 
bark  breaks  transversely  without  difficulty,  is  much  less  mucilagi- 
nous, and  consists  chiefly  of  cellular  structure.  Again,  it  is  met 
with  much  discolored  and  with  portions  of  the  outer  bark  ad- 
hering. Now  it  is  highly  probable  that  the  season  of  collection 
has  a  marked  influence  on  the  structure  and  medicinal  value  of  the 
bark;  yet  we  know  so  little,  positively,  of  the  times  and  circum- 
stances of  collecting  the  varieties  of  commerce,  that  it  would  be, 
perhaps,  presumption  to  hazzard  an  opinion,  and  therefore  sug- 
gest that  some  pharmaceutist,  who  has  the  opportunity  by  loca- 
tion, will  investigate  the  influence  of  season  on  the  character  of 
the  inner  bark  of  Ulmus  Fulva. 
ON  LIQUIDAMBAR  STYRACIFLUA. 
By  Charles  W.  Wright,  M.  D., 
Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Kentucky  School  of  Medicine. 
Liquidambar  Styraciflua,  commonly  called  sweet-gum,  is  in- 
digenous to  nearly  every  part  of  the  United  States,  and  con- 
stitutes one  of  our  largest  forest  trees.  When  an  incision  is 
is  made  through  the  bark  of  this  tree,  a  resinous  juice  exudes, 
which  possesses  an  agreeable  balsamic  odor.  When  this  sub- 
stance first  exudes,  it  is  of  the  consistence  of  turpentine,  and 
possesses  a  stronger  smell  in  that  condition  than  it  does  after  it 
has  become  resinified.  Contrary  to  the  statements  made  by 
Wood  and  Bache,  in  their  Dispensatory,  this  tree  furnishes  a 
considerable  quantity  of  resin  in  the  Middle  States,  particularly 
in  the  States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Kentucky,  bordering  on  the 
Ohio  River.  It  is  annually  collected  in  those  States,  and  sold 
under  the  name  of  gum-wax.  It  is  a  much  more  agreeable 
masticatory  than  the  spruce-gum,  and  is  chewed  in  the  West  by 
nearly  all  classes.  By  proper  incisions,  one  tree  will  yield  an- 
nually about  three  pounds  of  the  resin. 
The  chemical  composition  of  the  specimens  collected  in  this 
latitude  correspond  with  that  given  by  M.  Bonastre,  of  specimens 
gathered  elsewhere,  viz':  benzoic  acid,  a  volatile  oil,  a  semi- 
concrete  substance  separated  by  distillation  and  ether,  an  oleo- 
resin,  a  principle  insoluble  in  water  and  cold  alcohol,  termed 
styracine.  The  bark  of  the  tree  contains  tannic  and  gallic  acids, 
to  which  its  astringency  is  due. 
