

376 



g 



RECENT HISTORY (from the beginning of the 19th century) of 



the Gum Ammoniac op Morocco. 



The first to call attention to the gum ammoniac of Morocco as 

 a distinct drug was J. G. Jackson, in his " Account of the Empire 

 of Morocco," published in 1809. In a second edition, published 

 in 1814, the following account occurs on p. 136 : " Ammoniacum, 

 called Feshook in Arabic, is produced from a plant similar 

 to the European fennel, but much larger. In most of the 

 plains of the interior, and particularly about El Araiche, 

 and M'sharrah Rummellah,* it grows ten feet high. The Gum 

 Ammoniac is procured by incisions in the branches, which, when 

 pricked, emit a lacteous, glutinous juice, which being hardened 

 by the heat of the sun, falls on the ground, and mixes with the 

 red earth below : hence the reason that Gum Ammoniac of 

 Barbary does not suit the London market. It might, however, 

 with a little trouble, be procured perfectly pure, by spreadin 

 mats under the shrubs to receive the gum as* it falls. The gum in 

 t he above mentioned state, is used in all parts of the country for 

 cataplasms and fumigations. The sandy light soil which produces 

 tne Urn Ammoniac abounds in the north of Morocco. It is 

 remarkable that neither bird nor beast is seen where this plant 

 grows, the vulture only excepted. It is, however, attacked by a 

 Deetle haying a long horn proceeding from its nose, with which 



2 0I ?» S St e . plant and makes th e incisions whence the gum 

 2™L 0l V' ^/fcription is accompanied by two plates, one 

 X TSF?*\l eai i 0r P OI ' H on of a leaf), and a fragment of the 



product of !L%S: Sh ° WS the inS6Ctt — " d With the 



» S S? e ™d J U w 8pe( T 8 Um ^Weranmi minus cognitae (1818), 

 "althoncS 7? t t0 . T l fer Jacks ™' 8 Plant to Ferula oriental^ 

 the Snf i! S ° n . S h fu re is not P erfect '" Tw enty years later 

 mendons 7 " m f J 1 ^ a ff in " b * L^ut. Washington, R.N., who 

 She Htv nf M I>e dly "5 ? is ***** of a Journey from Tangier to 

 "plants^ * 7° a ? d ba f k 4 Thus, on page 127, he records 

 county to thP «1 Call ! d f Ch % h (S™* ammoniac) " from the 



(xZ a 11 ^ i E1 K8ar ' and " a forest of » J cla ^ h 



Mck''TroTil ); S ° me Plants ten feet hi § h > stem five inches 



Dowra andti ! f^u Strip ° f land betwe «> Murja Ras ed 



gigantic Tnnnal „1S- J h6n ^ ° n * 151 > he ment ^ ns " that 

 J-S? W^tt^Htf? Plant, like fennel, already 



in the plains 



! East of the lake Murja R as ed Dowra 



bee CXylocopa) IT Kor^ef^ro^ ^t™ *' h °™™< to be a ^^ ' 

 insect, but writes thatit ht ' * i lto ( * <<? P- 879 ) made efforts to obtain the 

 near Rabat. Jackson s accoun?°nf tT f^*™* on fche 8™ ammoniac plants 

 concerning the punctnrimTn? /, 8 l* 860 * r ™l*« very like that by Aitchison 

 exudation of resin Sffr (»"'■"'"" by borin K beetle s and the subsequent 

 the flow of the r'e«in mLZ !' ''T a ^ a,8 ° attecke <* '» '^8 way, but though 

 production of course' do£ rS J* * ^ b X A* boring oi thoee insect*, its 



niittina <wi, - + i — 5 ammoniac pjant, iik 

 putting forth its shoots and feathery leaves," 



Dr. Charles Waterhouse informs 



* X \ m. 1 



