Chap. 22.] RESINS. 15 



sembling the pitch-tree in appearance, and with a diminutive 

 purple blossom. A decoction of the root, taken in doses of 

 one hemina, carries off the bilious and pituitous secretions by 91 

 stool, and a spoonful of the seed, used as a suppository, has a 

 similar effect. A decoction of the leaves in vinegar removes 

 scaly eruptions of the skin ; and in combination with boiled 

 rue, it effects the cure of diseases of the mamillae, gripings in 

 the bowels, wounds inflicted by serpents, and incipient gather- 

 ings of most kinds. 



CHAP. 22. RESINS : TWENTY- TWO EEMEDIES. 



In treating, first of wines, 92 and then of trees, 93 we have 

 stated that resin is the produce of the trees above-mentioned, 

 and have described the several varieties of it, and the countries 

 in which they are respectively produced. There are two 

 principal kinds of resin, the dry and the liquid. 93 * The dry 

 resins are extracted from the pine 94 and the pitch- tree, 95 the 

 liquid from the terebinth, 96 the larch, 97 the lentisk, 98 and the 

 cypress ;" these last producing it in the province of Asia and 

 in Syria. It is an error 1 to suppose that the resin of the pitch- 

 tree* is the same as that of the larch ; for the pitch-tree yields 

 an unctuous 2 resin, and of the same consistency as frankin- 

 cense, while that of the larch is thin, like honey in colour, and 

 of a powerful odour. It is but very rarely that medical men 

 make use of liquid resin, and when they do, it is mostly that 

 produced by the larch, which is administered in an egg for 



The characteristics of it differ, however, from the description here given 

 by Pliny. It is no longer used in medicine, though, like the other Euphor- 

 biaceae, it has very active properties. 



91 This, Fee says, is consistent with truth. 



9 Mn B. xiv. c. 25. '<* B. xvi. cc. 16, 21, 22, 23. 



93 * Or, as they are called at the present day, the resins, and the oleo- 

 resins, or terebinthines. 



94 Fee thinks that this name extends to the numerous species of resin- 

 iferous trees. . _ 95 The Abies excelsa of Linnaeus. 



96 The Pistacia-terebinthus; see B. xiii. c. 12. It yields a valuable 

 turpentine, known in commerce as that of Cyprus or Chios. 



97 The so-called Venice turpentine is extracted from the larch. 

 - It yields mastich solely, a solid resin. 



99 It yields a terebin thine, and a very diminutive amount of solid resin. 

 1 Fee says, that if the same methods are employed, the same products 

 may be obtained, though in general the larch yields the better terebinthine. 

 3 Fee thinks that he is speaking of a thick resin, or galipot, as the 

 ; French call it, of the consistency of honey. 



