The selling price of cinchona barks in the London market exhibits singular differences, which cannot be referred to the proportion of alkaloids present, and seenis to depend upon the outward appearance of the sample, the reputation of the estate producing it, or inequality in the coat of extracting the alkaloids. In illustration of the fact that alkaloid percentage does not govern the price, may be quoted the results of a sale of Madras government barks. In the following tables, the price per unit of quinine is estimated from the price per lb., and the analysis of the bark ; the first three alkaloids are estimated as crystallized sulphates, the cinchonine as alkaloid ; probably the quinine would be the only alkaloid which would influence the price ;— The relative prices of the cinchona barks brought into the London market are approximately as follows :—Cascarilla, 17-23s. a cwt.; Peru, crown and grey, ls.-2s. 4d. a lb. ; Calisaya, fiat, 2s. 6d. 3s. 6d., quill, 23.-6s. 6d.; Carthagena, ls. ld.-3s. 5d.; Colombian, ls.-5s. 9d. ; Pitayo, ls. 3d.-2.s. 3d. ; Red, 33.-6s. 6d.; East Indian, 8d.-3s., good and fine, 3s. ld.-7s. 6d.
Cocculus Indicus (Fs., Coque du Levant; GER., SoRelskorner).—The fruit of Anamirte pcmiculata (A. Cocculus, Menispermum Cocculus) is employed in England as an ingredient of insect ointments, and has a place in the Pharmacopoeia of India. The plant is a strong climbing shrub, growing from Orissa and Concan to Malabar and Ceylon, in E. Bengal, Assam, $hasia, and the Malay Archipelago. The fruits are stripped from the sterna, and dried, when they resemble little round berries ; they should be fresh, of dark colour, free from stalks, and with the seeds in perfect condition. The last-named are bitter, and consist, to the amount of half their weight, of oil (see Oils). The drug is im ported from Bombay and Madras, principally for consumption on the Continent. Its wholesale value is about 7 s.-98. a owt. This drug is sometimes confounded with laurel berries, from which its kidney-shaped and semicircular kernel distinguishes it.
Colchicum, or (Fs., Colchique ; GER., Zeitlosen).—The "corm," or bulbous stem-base, and the seed, of Colchicum autumnale is largely presoribed in dropsy, gout, rheumatism, and cutaneous diseases. The plant is locally abundant in many parts of England and Ireland, and grows throughout Central and S. Europe up to an altitude of about 5500 ft., and in a great portion of N. Africa. In Britain, the oorms are dug up in July, after the decay of the foliage, and before, or during, inflorescence, though, according to Schroff, their medicinal activity is greater when they are gathered in the autumn, after the appearance of the flower. Sometimes they are used in a fresh state, but more generally dry. The drying is usually effected by quickly subjecting the corm, in thin slices, to gentle heat in a stove, the membranes being afterwards sifted or winnowed away. By drying the corms entire in the sun, they preserve their strength for years. The beat slices are white, clean, brittle, and crisp, without mould or stain, inodorous, and bitter flavoured. The seeds are gathered when ripe, and dried. In appearance, they resemble those of black mustard ; but are
larger, harder, and not pungent. The corms of several other, as yet undetermined, species of Colchicum, have a reputation in the East. Colchicum corms are worth about 8d. a lb. ; the seeds, 9d.
Colocynth, Coloquintida, or (FR., Coloquinte ; GER., Coloquinthe).—The fruit pulp of Citrullus Colocynthis (Cucumis Colocynthis), in the form of an extract combined with aloes and scammony, is widely used as a purgative. The plant is found on the sea-sands of Portugal and S.-E. Spain ; In Morocco, Senegambia, and the Cape Verdes ; very abundantly after rain on the snods of Nubia and Upper Egypt ; in some of the Greek isles ; in Cyprus, where it formed one of tiro chief products in the 14th cent. ; in Syria, Arabia, Persia, and Ceylon ; on the Coromandel coast, in Bind, and the Punjab ; and in Japan. The fruit resembles an orange in size and shape, marbled green when fresh, turning yellowish-brown when dried, and is tilled with pulp coutaining 200-300 seeds. It occasionally occurs in commerce simply dried, and of a brown colonr—Mogador colooynth; but more generally, it has first been peeled, and then appears as light balls of white pith--Spanish colocynth, often broken, and presenting a light-brown colour when the drying has been slow. The pulp is scarcely odorous, but possesses an intensely bitter flavour ; it is usually retailed broken op, and deprived of the seeds, and is then known as " pulp," or " pith." The drug is imported from Spain, Mogador, and Syria, and varies in price from 8d. to Is. 9d. a lb. Two other species are sometimes confounded with the true drug—Cucumis trigonus (Pseudo-colocynthis), of the plains of N. India ; and C. Hardwichii, the " Hill Colooyuth " of the natives of India. These are not met with in English commerce.
oleo-resin known as Copaiba or Capivi balsam, derived from several species of Cupaifera, is largely employed in medicine, by reason of its stimulating action on the mucous mem branes of the urino-genital organs. (See Resinous Substances.) Copt* or Ittiehmi-bitter.—The root of Coptic Teeta is used in India as a pure bitter tonic). The plant is a native of the Mishmi Hills, whence the drug is sent, in the form of slender rhizomes 1-2 in. long, by way of the Bramahputra into Bengal. It occurs in the bazars in little rattan bags, holding about oz., and rarely appears on the London market. The drug is replaced in America by C. trifo/ia, a plant indigenous to the U.S., Arctic America, and both Russias. The Indian root is sometimes °unfounded with the yellow root of Thalictrum foliolosum, an abundant native of Mussdrf, the temperate (5000-8000 ft.) Himalayas, and the Khania hills. To Bombay, coptis root comes from China, by way of Singapore. Two varieties occur in the Bombay market, called in China Hwang-lien and Chuen-lien ; tho former Is bristly, and stouter than the latter, whioh is the only kind net with in the little rattan wicker bugs. Coptic root is said to contain more berberine than any other known root, but it is doubtful whether its alkaloid is berberine at all.