UN AN ARTICLE PURPORTING TO BE JALAP. 291 
It differs from the Mechoacan (Jetichucu — Batata da 
Purga) in odor, taste, and not being sliced and deprived of 
its exterior bark. It agrees with it, however, in its internal 
white and starchy appearance, but wants the marks of the 
severed radical fibres upon the superior extremity of the root, 
which in the Mechoacan are very numerous. 
It differs from the fusiform or male jalap {Convolvulus 
orizabensis) in not being cylindrical, uniformly fusiform, 
lengthy and branched at its inferior extremity, and wanting 
the external yellow color and interior lactescence of that spe- 
cies. 
Contrasted with the well known characters of officinal 
jalap, {Ipomoza jalapa,) it presents the following discre- 
pancies. 
It is larger, lighter in comparison, wants brittleness, shin- 
ing fracture and compactness, acridity of taste, odor, and 
color. It is also deficient in resin, and wants the striated 
and reticulated appearance of exterior which the other pos- 
sesses. 
In order to ascertain how its chemical relations would com- 
port with jalap, a number of experiments were conducted by 
the Chairman of your Committee, the result of which enables 
them to furnish a proximate analysis of its composition as fol- 
lows. In juxtaposition are placed the analyses of officinal 
and male jalaps. 
False Jalap. 
35. 
Resin, consisting of 15 soft and 20 of 
dry brittle resin, 
Gummous Extract, 85. 
Starch mixed with Inulin, 140. 
Lignin, 116. 
Albumen and Gum, 50. 
Saccharine Matter, Salts of Lime, and loss, 74. 
500 
VOL. VIII. — NO. IV. 
37 
