HAMAMELIDES. 595 
in Hindi 578 #tarq (Ast lobin) or Western Frankincense.” In 
another place, speaking of Daru, he says that the Greek name 
is Fazukus ((vyos) ? 
According to Abu Hanffeh “ 5,6 Udsoidanbes ortentalts) 
is of the trees of the mountains, and is like the great oak, 
having clusters (of berries) like those of the oak, but its ber- 
ries are larger; -its leaves are cooked, and when thoroughly 
cooked, are cleared away and the water thereof is returned to 
the fire, and coagulates, becoming like ‘ Kubaita’ (a kind of 
sweetmeat), and is used medicinally us a remedy for roughness 
of the chest, and for pain of the fauces.’’? The author of the 
Tuhfat-el-Muminin says :—»4 Dart or Zardis the name of an 
Arabian tree like the oak ; its fruit is like that of the e&: Butm 
(Pistacia Terebinthus), but its seeds are larger; the gum of this — 
tree is storax (Hassi luban), and has already been noticed. 
The wood, leaves and fruit are hot and dry, and a decoc- 
tion with sugar, when brought to the consistence of a syrup 
by boiling, is used for roughness of the throat and cough. 
The oil of the seeds is odoriferous and dissolves phlegmatic 
humours; it is useful in dyspepsia, and in the scabby eruptions 
of animals.” In India it is always called Silaras, and is 
noticed in Sanskrit works as Silhaka, and described as a 
product of Turkey. The Hindus use it chiefly for perfuming 
medicinal oils, but are aware of its pectoral qualities, and 
occasionally prescribe it. In modern Arabic and Persian 
works Liquid Storax is called Meahsayelah and Lubni, and is 
described as the gum or juice of a tree resembling the quince. 
Three kinds are generally mentioned—viz., 1st, that which 
exudes naturally ; 2nd, that which is obtained by pressing the 
bark, and 3rd, that which is obtained by boiling it. These 
three kinds, however, are not at the present time distinguished 
in commerce in Bombay,. though the article may vary in 
quality considerably. Storax is considered by the Mahome- 
tans to be tonic, resolvent, suppurative, and astringent ; it is 
prescribed as a pectoral, and is thought to strengthen all the 
viscera; applied externally it is supposed to have a similar 
action upon the parts with which it comes in contact. lt is 
