the odor of the bark, though somewhat aromatic. Macerated in alcohol after bruising it, a greenish-brown tincture is obtained. When this is evaporated spontaneously until most of the alcohol is dissipated, an oily or oleo-resinous substance separates in globules, which appears to be connected with the acrimony, but was not investigated for want of time. The Bark of the Root.-The best published essay on the chemistry of sassafras bark is that of Dr. H. Reinsch, (Buch. Rep., 1846). In 1000 parts of the bark he found 90 of water; 8 of light and heavy volatile oil and camphoraceous matter; 8 of tallow-like matter; 50 of balsamic resin and wax; 92 of sassafrid; 58 of tannic acid; 68 of sassafrid, tannin and gum; 6 of albumen; 30 of gum red coloring matter and salts; 289 of starch tannin, as taken up by potash solution; and 247 of woody fibre. M. Reinsch found the light oil to pass first, and then the heavy. The former he thought to be most fragrant of sassafras. The sassafrid is analogous to cinchonic red. It separates from the alcoholic tincture when it is poured into an excess of water, as a cinchona-colored precipitate which dries in a granular form like indigo. It has no odor, scarcely any taste, yields oxalic acid and other products by the action of NO, is very slightly soluble in cold water, more so if tannin is present, but readily soluble in boiling water. Ether dissolves it but slightly; the alkaline solutions dissolve it very freely, and form dark red brown liquids; the alkaline earths precipitate it in combination. It is evidently a derivative of the tannic acid of the bark, and exists most largely in the exterior layers of the bark which have nearly lost their astringency. The large proportion found by Reinsch proves that he not only analyzed dry old bark, but probably also that with the epidermis included. I have before alluded to the fact that the growing bark is nearly white; whilst the same bark, simply dried, becomes cinchona-colored exteriorly, and this change slowly extends through it. The following experiments were made:A root of sassafras, four inches in diameter, was uncovered from soil. Four vials, one filled with pure glycerin, another with alcohol, a third with colorless fixed oil, and a fourth with water, were provided. The epidermis was quickly scraped off, and strips of the bark rapidly removed and introduced into the vials, so as to be completely covered with the several liquids, and before any change of color by atmospheric action had occurred. On standing a few days the alcohol had acquired quite a reddish color, which increased considerably with time. The glycerin was affected much more slowly, but gradually it was discolored throughout, extracting the tannin from the bark, and this in turn being discolored by the air acting on the surface. The bark in fixed oil was a long time intact, but at present it exhibits portions colored brown. The watery liquid rapidly colored, though not quite so soon as the alcoholic. Nitric acid applied to the fresh bark makes a brown spot, and liquor potassæ a dark brown one. Either of the solutions above noticed, except the oily one, are colored deep red brown by potassa. The solutions precipitate gelatin and tartar emetic, and are colored dark blackish-green by sesqui-chloride of iron. The alkaline solution, though dark-colored, affords but little precipitate with hydrochloric acid. It must be apparent from these results that sassafrid is, like cinchonic red, a derivative of tannic acid, and that sassafras tannin exists to a much greater extent in the fresh bark than in the dried commercial specimens. It must also be apparent that carefully-dried sassafras bark is no mean astringent with its 6 per cent. of tannin and 9 per cent. of sassafrid, and might be found useful in some forms of diarrhoea. Volatile Oil.-Oil of sassafras varies in color from colorless to yellow and red. The New Jersey oil is generally light-colored and often colorless when recent, and often has water adherent to its surface from not having been filtered. The Pennsylvania and Maryland oil, as has been said, is red, yellow and white or colorless. Its taste is pungent and aromatic, being agreeable to most persons. Its specific gravity varies from 1.087 to 1.094, increasing somewhat by age, although by no means so easily affected as the oils of the orange or mint tribes. It is neutral to test paper, yet, according to E. S. Wayne, it acted on lead in the solder of a copper can, forming an insoluble compound. Mr. Wayne did not investigate the circumstances under which this supposed compound was formed, nor whether the organic portion of the compound was oil of sassafras or a derivative of it. According to St. Evre, it begins to boil at 239° F., then the boiling point rises to 440° F. In my own trial there was no preliminary ebullition, but long before boiling commenced the oil evaporated in great clouds of vapor. When the mercury approached 430° F., ebullition commenced pretty freely. Its frequent adulteration in Europe with oil of lavender, and perhaps turpentine, will account for the low boiling point of other observers. Its composition is C18H10O4 (St. Evre). When pure oil of sassafras is cooled by a freezing mixture, it deposits sassafras camphor, a crystalline stearoptene, which may be obtained by pressing the cooled oil in bibulous paper. Its specific gravity is 1.245. This body has the composition CH10O4, containing two equivalents more of carbon than the oil. It does not appear to be a derivative of the oil by oxidation. fras is rapidly oxidized by NO3 with the emission of flame, and SO3,HO resinifies it, producing a deep red compound called sassarubrin by Dr. Hare. Chlorine and bromine both unite with it without disorganizing its constituents, the latter making a crystalline compound. Gaseous chlorine develops a compound having the composition of ordinary camphor. Oil of sassa Oil of sassafras is readily soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, and mixes with other fixed and volatile oils. Like oil of camphor, it is very penetrating and stimulating, being well adapted for liniments, into many of which it enters; it is also used as a carminative. In conclusion it may be remarked that sassafras is employed much more in domestic practice than by physicians. Its bark is used officinally in the compound decoction of sarsaparilla, its pith in mucilage sassafras, and its oil in troches of cubeb; but in many cases where the bark might be employed it is passed by. When finely powdered, the bark of sassafras is better than Peruvian bark for dentifrices, having its astringency and antiseptic power with the grateful aroma of the sassafras; besides its powder is very like cinchona in color. The alcoholic extract of the fresh bark is a deep red astringent substance, strongly aromatic and pungent. It is not improbable that other barks, as cinchona, may resemble sassafras in being nearly colorless when in a growing state and altering by the drying process. The writer believes he has somewhere seen this remarked of recent cinchona bark. It is probable that this change occcurs in cinnamon bark during the process of drying, and possibly also in Krameria root. The actual changes that occur in this transformation of tannin is worthy of a closer study by organic chemists than they have yet given it. ON GRANULAR EFFERVESCENT CITRATE OF QUERY 19. MAGNESIA. BY JAMES W. MILL. What is the best formula for a granular effervescent Citrate of Magnesia, which shall be permanent, readily soluble in water and suitable for general use? Soluble citrate of magnesia, in a granular form, is most conveniently obtained according to the writer's experiments by the process of M. de Letter, detailed in the Am. Jour. Pharm., July, 1863, page 312. To succeed well the ingredients should be intimately mixed and exposed in a warm, rather moist situation. The reaction is completed within a few days, and the resulting citrate, by simple trituration in a mortar and sifting, is readily obtained in a granular condition. An effervescent citrate may be made according to the following formula: Take of Citric acid, Carb. magnesia, zvij. ziij. Mix intimately and expose in a warm, moist atmosphere till all reaction has ceased. Dry, and by trituration and sifting reduce to a granular powder, then take of this Bicarb. soda (dried at a heat under 212°) 100 grs. Mix. The granulated form of this preparation is handsomer in appearance and probably more permanent, but the powdered is to be preferred, nevertheless, on account chiefly of its readier solu bility. The writer has tried the process of M. Morelli, published in the last number of our Journal of Pharmacy, (July No., 1866,) and finds it to yield a salt of readier solubility than any he has yet tried. The following formula is based on this process: Pulverize the citric acid, add the water and then incorporate the carb. magnesia. The mass should be stirred frequently during the reaction; when dried and pulverized, add to each troy ounce Pulv. sugar (flavored with oil of lemon,) 3ss. Chicago, Ill., 1866. 100 grs. Mix. ON THE REMOVAL OF CINCHO-TANNIC ACID FROM LIQUID PREPARATIONS OF CINCHONA. BY PROF. W. PROCTER, JR. QUERY 20. What are the best means by which Cinchona may be deprived of cincho-tannic acid, so that its alkaloids in the form of Kinates may be retained in a permanent liquid form? It is well known to us all that cinchona presents an instance in which nature places together incompatible ingredients which react upon each other. According to Soubeiran, as much as one third of the alkaloids in Calisaya are insoluble in water from this cause. Whether this condition exists in the growing bark, or is a result of the drying process, I am unable to say, but strongly suspect that the condition of the alkaloids are somewhat modified in that process. It is also well known that the association of iron with cinchona in the usual forms is attended by the reaction resulting in an inky mixture. The object of the query, in the writers view, was to elicit a means whereby this association might be made without producing visible change, and with the full effect of the natural alkaline salts. Following up this idea, it was proposed to use the agency of gelatin to remove the astringent acid :-Two ounces of Calisaya, reduced to powder, were percolated with dilute alcohol till |