Cf 



20G LEGUMINOS.E. 



History— As in the case of Balscam of Tolu, it is to Monardes of 

 Seville that we are indebted for tlie earliest description of the drug 

 under notice. In a chapter headed Lei Balsamo^ he states that at the 

 time he wrote (15G5) the drug was not new, for that it had been 

 received into medicine immediately after the discovery of New Spain. 

 As the conquest of Guatemala took j^lace about 1524, we may conclude 

 that the balsam was introduced into Europe soon afterwards. 



Monardes further adds, that the balsam was in such high estimation 



that it sold for 10 to 20 ducats (£4 10s. to £9) the ounce; and that 



when taken to Rome, it fetched even 100 ducats for the same quantity. 



The inducement of such enormous prices brought plenty of the dru^ 



to Europe, and its value, as well as its reputation, was speedily 

 reduced. 



The description given by Monardes of extracting the balsam by 

 boiling the chopped wood of the trunk and branches, raises a doubt as 

 to whether the drug he had in view w^as exactly that now known ; but he 

 never was in America, and may have been misinformed. Evidence that 

 our drug was in use, is afforded by Diego Garcia de Palacio, who, in his 

 capacity of Auditor of the Royal Audiencia of Guatemala, wrote an 

 account to Philip II., king of Spain, describing the geography and pro- 

 cluctions of this portion of his majesty's dominions. In this interesting 

 document which bears date 1576 and has only recently been published,' 

 l-alacio tells the king of the great balsam trees of Guaymoco and of the 

 ^f!l of Tonala,-* and of the Indian method of promoting the exudation 

 ot the balsam by scorching the trunk of tlie tree. Prior to the conquest 

 ot the country by the Spaniards and for a short time after, balsam 

 lormed^ part of the tribute paid to the Indian chiefs of Cuscatlau, to 

 whom it w^as presented in curiously ornamented earthen jars. 



i he idea of great virtues attaching to the balsam is shown by the 

 lact that, in consequence of representations made by missionary priests 

 in Central America, Pope Pius V. granted a faculty to the Bishops ot 

 +k^ ???' P^™i<^t^ng the substitution of the balsam of Guatemala for 

 that ot Egypt, in the preparation of the chrism used in the Roman 

 Catholic Church. This document, bearing date August 2, 1571, is still 

 preserved m the archives of Guatemala.'^ , 



In the IGth century, the balsam tree grew in the warm regions ot 



Mexico 



-- w...vi.^<^xi lu. j.»j.e.?Lico, wnence it was inLrouuceu -i"-- 

 iamous_ gardens of Hoaxtepec near the citv of Mexico, described by 

 tortes m his letter to Charles V. in 1552.5 " 



A rude figure of the tree, certainlv a Myroxylon and probably the 

 species under notice, was published in the Thesaurus Reruin Medicarum 



quo?e°dTn"ff iV^' ^7* ^^*^t. ^^ *^^ ^«^k Squier, the very same as those nientioned 

 tt:lZ'^Lt^XT^^^ which was pub- wk aJmirat J by Palacio. ,. . , 



liBhed separately at Seville in 15G5. 

 ^rXL i!."..^rH'. 1S59. -Fra„t.in< 



157fi. Berlin 1^4 ^^'^'"'"'•"•^ '^ J'^^'r"- trans, i. (1787) pp. 32- ■^'^- ,, , , .,. tl 



at 



Guaynu^or:';;^ 1 '}' ^^^'-™ C-^t= booH" ten hi ih^^^n of Mexico, bg-a 

 and 'srSaTvaaof ^Th^n^f '" ^^-^^-^^ the same time also the title giv.u i? 

 Myro.ylon in th:Vr^^ aCSrtr41 ^^^"^''■^- 



