BALSAMUM PERUVIANUM. 20/ 



ferred to the " Hoaxtepecences hoitos " of the Mexican kings "deliti- 

 arum et masnificentise gratia." 



b^^"^^""""^ to 



Balsam of Peru was well known in German pharmacy in the begin- 

 ing of the l7th century (see article Balsamum Tolutanum). 



The exports of Guatemala being shipped chiefly at Acajutla, were 

 formerly carried to Callao, the port of Lima, whence they were trans- 

 mitted to Spain. This circumstance led to the balsam acquiring the 

 misleading name of Peru, and in part to the notion that it was a produc- 



I tion of South America. 



The history of Balsam of Peru was much amplified by a communica- 

 tion of the late Dr. Charles Dorat, of Sonsonate, Salvador, in 1860 to the 

 American Journal of Pharmacy, and by still further information accom- 

 panied by drawings and specimens, transmitted to one of us in 1863. 

 These statements have lastly been confirmed again on the spot by ilr. 

 Theophilus Wyss, a Swiss apothecary, established in San Miguel la 



Early in November or December, or 



Union, San Salvador.^ 



sam 



after the last rains, the stems of the balsam trees are beaten with the 



instrument 



similar extent of bark being left unbruised between the parts that are 

 beaten. The bark thus injured soon cracks in long strips, and may be 

 easily pulled off. It is sticky as well as the surface below it, and there 

 is a slight exudation of fragrant resin, but not in sufficient quantity to 

 be worth collecting. To promote an abundant flow, it is customary, five or 

 six days after the°beating, to apply lighted torches or bundles of burning 

 wood to the injured bark, whereby the latter becomes charred. About 

 a week later, the bark either drops or is taken off*, and the stem commences 

 to exude the balsam. This is collected by placing rags (of any kind or 

 colour), so as entirely to cover the bare wood. As these rags in the course 

 of some days become saturated with the exudation, they are collected 

 thrown into an earthen vessel of water, and gently boiled and stirred 

 until they appear nearly clean, the balsam separating and sinking to the 

 bottom. This process goes on for some hours, the exhausted rags being 

 from time to time taken out, and fresh ones thrown in. As the rags are 

 removed they are wrung out in a sort of rope bag, and the balsam so saved 

 is added to the stock. When the boiler has cooled, the water is decanted, 

 and the balsam is poured into tecomates or gourds, ready for the market. 



The balsam prepared by means of rags is termed " balsamo de trapo; 

 a little balsam of inferior quality is also produced, according to W yss, 

 t)y boiling the bark with water. This method aff'ords " Tacuasonte or 

 " balsamo de cascara," which is sometimes mixed with the balsamo de 

 trapo. Tacuasonte means prepared without fire. , ,, , 



, ^ The Ir^dians work a tree a second year, by bruising the bark that was 

 jeft untouched the previous year. As the bark is said to be renewed 

 in the short space of two years, it is possible to obtain from the same 

 tree an annual yield of about 2 lb. of balsam for many years, provided 



> Hanhury in Pharm. Journ. v. (1864) San Salvador to the Paris exlubitbu, p. 3.3 



2* • -^S ; also Science Paper., 294-309. Dr. D. J. Guzman gives : '. T>ota,ls s u le 



See my paper, with map, in Schicelzcri6che moyen d^extraire et rayailler le Balsamo 



» ochenschrl/t fur Pharmacie, 1878. 219 negro Ju Salvador, which are far from satis- 



In f.f''^ of the Pharm. Soc, London).- factory. -F. A. P. 

 ^"^e Catalogue of the contributions of 



I 



