- SANGUIS DRACONIS. 673 



tlie rest of maukind they have to content themselves with the plentiful 

 drug of Sumatra and Borneo, instead of the more ancient sort produced 



* C^ 1 



in Socotra. 



The first clear account of the production of the resin in India is that 

 „ . m by Rumphius, who in his Herharium Amhoinense^ describes the 

 process by which it is collected at Palembang. 



Production— The fruit of Calamus Draco, which is produced in 

 panicles in great profusion, is globose and of the size of a large cherry, 

 clothed with smoothed downward-overlapping scales. Tlicse scales are 

 sub-quadrangular, thick and shell-like, marked with a longitudinal 

 furrow: the largest, which are found towards the middle of the_ fruit, 

 are 2 lines long by 3 broad. At maturity the fruit is covered with an 

 exudation of red resin, which encrusts it so abundantly that the form ot 



the scales can hardly be seen. ^ • i-u 



The resin, which is naturally friable, is collected by gathering the 

 fruits, and shaking or beating them in a sack, by which process it is 

 soon separated. It is then sifted to remove from it scales and other 

 portions of the fruit. By exposure to the heat of the sun or in a 

 covered vessel to that of boiling water, the resin is so far softened that 

 it can be moulded into sticks or balls, which are forthwith wrapped in 

 a piece of palm leaf. It is thus that the best dragon's hlood ovjernaiig, 

 is obtained. An inferior quality is got by boiling the pounded trmts ,n 

 water, and making the resin into a mass, frequently with the addition 

 of other substances by way of adulteration. The foregoing is the 

 account of the manufacture of the drug given by Blume. 



Description— Dragon's Blood is found in commerce chiefly in two 

 forms, known respectively as Beed and Lumj). 



^ I. Reed Draqon's Blood (Dragon's Blood in f^^'^'^mt 

 draconis in haculis). Some of fine quality purchased m London m 

 \^'^'2 is in sticks 13 to 14 inches in length and f to 1 i^^n m 

 diameter, neatly wrapped in palm-leaf, secured by f^^^^^X'ick 

 tands of some flexible grass. The average weighty «£ each st^ck^ 

 deluding the enveloping "leaf, is five ounces. The resm ^^^ ^^^j^^^^^^ 

 been wrapt up while loft, as the sticks are furrowed long^tudmallj by 

 pressure of the surrounding leaf. The smooth surface ^'^ ^/ ^^^ ^f^^^'^! 

 I'lackish-brown ; when seen in thin splinters the resin appears^^^^^^^^^^ 

 parent, and of a pure and brilliant crimson. The f^'^;^^"f ^^"^^^^^^^^^^ 

 looks resinous and rough, is a little porous, and ^^^^^'^^^^^^^'^"^^ 

 particles of the scales oi the fruit. Rubbed on P^-^P^^^, ^ /.^'^^.^eent 

 mark of not very splendid tint. Heated with alcohol it le t 20 pei ce 

 of pulverulent residue consisting chiefly of vegetable mattei. bticK 

 ^i smaller size are more common. • x • • i l 



. 2. Lump Dracjou's Blood (Sanguis draconis in ;;« ■^;;' f J ^^f ^ ' 

 '^ large rectangular blocks or irregular masses.^ 1 ^;"\ ^^^^^^^^ 

 ^/agon^s Blood, ^v^i described, it difl-ers in containing a ai er p^op 

 tion of remains of the fruit, including numerous ^^^^t.^^^,^^^^^^^,^,^ in 

 J has a coarser fracture, and the fractured surface i cs. mtens^ 

 \^^^- Its taste is slightly acrid. Exhausted ^^lth aic^^^^^^^^^ 

 leaves a residue amounting in the specimen we tested to 27 per cent 



' Pars. V. (1717) 114 115. t.^.. 58. '^ Rn^npMa, in. (1847) 9. t.k 131. 132. 



2 u 



