203 



-* 



bark is the purefl:, being foft, extremely fragrant^ and very white ; 

 that, which is lefs eileemed, is of a brownifh colour, very hard, and 

 mixed with various impurities, v/hich it acquires durinp its lonp- con 



upon the trees.' Efchelfkron ^ diilinguiihes Beazoine into 

 three kinds, viz. Cainayan poeti^ or v/hite Benjamin, which, upon 

 being meked in a bladder l3y the heat of the fun, appears marked 

 with red ftreaks, or veins. Camayan hamatta is lefs white than the 

 former, and often fpotted with white circles, called eyes, from the 

 number of which its goodneis is eftimated : it likewiie melts by the 



heat of the fun. Camayan itam^ or black Benjamin, wdiich req 

 to be melted in hot water for its prefervation in bladders. In Arabia, 

 Perfia, and other parts of the Eail the coarfer kinds of Benjamin are 

 confumed for fumigating and perfuming the temples, and for 

 deftroying infed:s. 



The Benzoine which we find here in the fhops *' is in lar^e brittle 



ffes, compofed partly of white, partly of yellowiili or light 1 

 1 often alfo of darker coloured pieces : that which is cleareft, and' 

 itains the moil v/hite matter, called by authors ben%oe ainygdaloides, 

 iccounted the bell.^' " This refm has very little tafte, impreffing 

 the palate only a flight fweetnefs : its fmell, efpecially when rubbed 

 heated, is extremely fragrant and agreeable. It totally diffolves 



redified fpirit, the impurities excepted, which are generally in a very 

 fmall quantity, into a deep yellowiih red liquor, and in this ftate 

 difcovers a degree of warmth and pungency, as well as fweetnefs. 



It imparts, by digeftion, to water alfo a confiderable fliare of _. 

 fragrance, and a flight pungency : the filtered liquor, gently exhaled 



leaves, not a refinous or mucilaginous extrad, but a cryflalline 



feemingly of a faline nature, amounting to one-tenth 



eighth, of the weight of the Benzoine."' Expofed to the fire in 



proper veilels, it yields a quantity of a white faline concrete, called 

 fiores benzoes, of an acidulous tafle, and grateful odour, foluble in 

 redified fpirit, and in water by the affiflance of heat. 



As the trees,which afford the drugs behzoine and flyrax,are congeners, 

 and as their refinous produds are very fimilar in their external appear- 



i Gr'imnu I, c, ^ Cfr. Efchelfkron Befchrelh. von Sumatra, p. 0_2. 



No. 15 



* Lewis M. M. p. 142 



ances, 



