506 LILIACEM 



to give us any exact information concerning the species of 

 Dracaena yielding dragon's blood in Socotra^ and the way in 

 which it is collected. He says, the resin exudes most abun- 

 dantly immediately after the rainy season ; the natives collect 

 it by chipping it off with a knife into a small bit of skin placed 

 against the tree; there are different qualities collected : Ist^ 

 the large tears, which are the best and most expensive, and arc 

 called Edah amsal ( J li/o t ^Oj\ best Edah) ; 2nd, small portions 

 which become detached, forming powdery dragon's blood or 

 JEdah diihlcah (^5o> ^^ojI Edah dust); ^rd, an inferior kind, 

 obtained by melting the refuse into cakes, called Edah mihlhah 

 *^A3 ^ ^ 1 Edah of the ladle) . 



Description. — The best quality may at once be distin- 

 guished by its occurring in tears, the surface of which is covered 

 by a dull red powder. When broken, the surface is glassy, 

 translucent, and of a beautiful garnet colour. Imitation tears 

 arc manufactured in India from the powdery dragon's blood; 

 they may easily be detected by their wanting the glassy 

 fi-actureof the genuine article. Cake dragon's blood is also met 

 with; it is of a dull red colour, and contains fragments of bark- 

 wood, and other refuse. 



Chemical composition.— See Calamus Draco. 



Commerce. — The drug is imported into India through 

 Bombay. 



Zanzibar Dragon's blood is similar in appearance to 

 that which comes from Socotra, and is not distinguished 

 from it in Indian trade. Hildebrandt has ascertained that 

 it is obtained from the stems of Braccena Schizantha 

 (Baker). 



The natives remove pieces of the bark about two inches 

 square, and the cavity in two to three weeks' time becomes 

 filled with the resin. In Zanzibar it is used in ophthalmia, 

 and is said to be called '' Macziwa ya watu wawili/' meaning 



the milk of two men, or -- - ' 



of two men* 



4/ w 



" Matcho ya watu wamli," the eyes 



