BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA, 313 
them a varnished-like appearance; flowers mo- 
noecious, the male flowers in solitary catkins 
and the female flowers in simple ones. Balsam 
of Fir, or Terebinthina Canadensis, Canada 
Turpentine, is obtained by incisions, The ex- 
udation occurs as a yellowish or greenish-yel- 
low, transparent, viscid liquid, about the con- 
sistence of honey, having an agreeable, bal- 
samic odor, with a bitter and slightly acrid 
taste, and belongs to the turpentines. Balsam 
of Fir is soluble in alcohol, ether and chloro- 
form, and contains about 25 per cent. of vola- 
“tile oil, resin and a bitter principle. The Venice 
or larch turpentine is obtained from the Larix 
Europoea, and resembles in many particulars 
the above-mentioned balsam. Both turpentines 
are liable to be adulterated with resin and tur- 
pentine, particularly the Venice, which is often 
composed entirely of a mixture of turpentine 
and resin. Both have been used as diapho- 
retics and diuretics, and as a rule they are em- 
ployed externally. 
Balsamodendron Myrrha, Myrrh.—Natural 
order Burseracee. This bush or shrub forms an 
undergrowth in the forests on the shores of the 
Red Sea, in Africa and Arabia; it is also found 
in the mountains of Abyssinia. The Myrrh 
rarely attains a greater height than io feet, and _ 
is adorned with ternate leaves, the leaflets of 
which are obovate and obtuse in outline, but 
denticulated at the apex; ornamented with flow- 
ers composed of 4 petals and 8 stamens, which are 
inserted under a cup-shaped disc, under whichis 
a 2-celled ovary; fruit, almond shaped and about 
the size of a buckshot. The gum Myrrh exudes 
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