JUNIPERUS LYCIA. ORD. I. Conifer, 17 
already given of the Juniperus Sabina: the berries are large, and 
when ripe of a dark brown colour. 
It is a native of the South of Enrope, and very scarce in this 
country ; for that species called Lycia by the gardeners here, has not 
the scaly appearance represented in the plate before us, which was 
drawn from a specimen in the Herbarium of Sir Joseph Banks. 
The officinal gummy resinous substance, known by the name of . 
ibanum, is said to ouze spontaneously from the bark of this tree, 
appearing in drops or tears, of a pale yellowish, and sometimes of a 
reddish colour.* ‘‘ Olibanum has a moderately strong and not very 
agreeable smell, and a bitterish somewhat pungent taste: in chewing 
it sticks to the teeth, becomes white, and renders the saliva milky. 
Laid on a red-hot iron, it readily catches flame, and burns with a 
strong diffusive and not unpleasant smell. On trituration with water, 
the greatest part of it dissolves into a 2 milky liquor, which on standing 
deposits a portion of resinous matter.”* The gummy and resinous 
parts are nearly in equal proportions; and though rectified spirit 
dissolves less of the Olibanum than water, it extracts nearly all its 
active matter. It is brought from Turkey, and from the East Indies ;. 
but that which comes from India is less esteemed. 
In ancient times Olibanum seems to have been in great repute," 
and was chiefly used in affections of the head and breast, coughs, 
hemoptysis, and in various fluxes both ut terine and intestinal: it was 
also much employed externally. 
in pleurisies, which were said to be epidemic; and Geoffroy“ likewise 
experienced its success in these diseases, especially after venesection ; 
at present, however, recourse is seldom had to this medicine, which is 
now superseded by myrrh, and other articles of a less stimulating kind. 
* This drug has received different appellations according to its different appear-. 
ances: the single tears are called simply olibanum, or thus: when two are joined 
together, thus masculum; and when two are very large, thus femininum: if 
several adhere to the bark, thus corticosum: the fine powder, which rubs off from 
the tears, mica thuris; and the coarser manna thuris. 
* Lewis, M. M. p. 460. > It is the ABas of Theophrastus & Djoscorides, 
es of Hippocrates. © Mat. Med. Traité. T. 4. p. 71. 
0. 2. E 
