AMBERGRIS 



Perfume 



FOSSIL RESIN: CLASSIC PERFUME 



been one of the many forms of the present species, he remarks : " Tne 

 analysis shows that we have in these seeds a food in which the propor- 

 tions, not merely of albuminoids to total starch plus the starch-equivalent 

 of the oil, but also of the oil itself, are very nearly those of an ideal or 

 standard ratio." Visitors to the hills of India are inclined to smile at 

 people who live very largely upon these minute grains, but they might 

 with advantage to themselves use this extremely wholesome article of diet. 



D.E.P., AMBER ; Mason, Burma and Its People, 576 ; also ed. Theobald, 



i., 216-7. i., 15 ; Ball, Man. Econ. Geol. Ind., 1881, 57 ; Holland, Rev. Min. Prod. 



Fossil Ind., 1898-1903, 95-7. A FOSSIL RESIN ; kahrub, ambeng, payen, etc. 



Resin. This substance to a small extent is still procured from the ancient mines of 



Upper Burma (in the Hukong Valley), but a fair amount of Baltic amber is regu- 



Medicine. larly imported into India and Burma. It is used in Native MEDICINE, being often 



confused with ambergris, the word amber having been derived therefrom. In 



Industrial Uses. Europe it is boiled in oil (rape or linseed) until it becomes transparent and ductile, 

 when it is moulded into beads, broaches, mouthpieces for pipes, etc. Certain 

 qualities are extensively made up as varnishes. In Upper Burma Dr. Anderson 

 tells us (Mandalay to Momien, 1876, 202) that there were then only a few workers, 

 and that the amber most prized is perfectly clear and of the colour of dark 

 sherry. Amber is much in demand in Burma by the wealthier ladies, who wear 



Production. cigar ear-holders of this material. Accurate returns for the production in Upper 



Burma are not available, but an estimate made by the Deputy Commissioner of 

 Myitkyina gives the average annvial output at about 51 cwt., valued at about 



Qualities. Rs. 5,000. The Burmese material differs chemically and physically from the 



Prussian amber, the chief difference being the absence of succinic acid ; it is dis- 

 tinguished by the special name " Burmite." It is harder and tougher than many 

 other amber-like resins, and therefore more fit for carving and turning. [Cf. 

 Barbosa, Coasts E. Africa and Malabar (ed. Hakl. Soc.), 165 ; Paulus jEgineta 

 (Adams, transl.), iii., 129 ; Marco Polo (ed. Yule), ii., 341 ; Milburn, Or. Comm., 

 i., 61 ; Crawford, Journ. to Ava, 1834, ii., 206, etc.] 



D.E.P., AMBERGRIS ; a concretion formed in the intestine of the Sperm- 



i., 217. whale (J'hi/sefer niacrocejtJittfus). It is a substance often found 



Perfume. floating in the sea on the coasts of India, Africa and Brazil, and the whales 

 Source. are also hunted and killed to procure it. Is met with in the Indian bazars 



in the form of special preparations known as abr-i-amber, anber, or araba. 



It is a very light substance, highly inflammable, has a peculiar aromatic 

 odour and almost completely volatilised by heat. It is used as a MEDICINE, 

 the supply coming mainly from the Nicobar and other islands in the Indian 

 Ocean. Though not of great value in modern commerce this substance at 

 one time attracted much attention. It was unknown to the Greeks and 

 Romans, but according to Paulus Mgineta (Adams, Comment., iii., 425-6) 

 was made known to pharmacy by the Arabs. Marco Polo (Travels (ed. 

 Yule), ii., 341-2) and Clusius on Garcia de Orta (in Hist. Exot. PL, 1605, 

 147-9), also Ball on Garcia (Coll., iii., in Proc. Roy. Ir. Acad., i. (3rd ser. ), 

 390), Barbosa, etc., all allude to this substance, so that it has been 

 associated with India for several centuries. Francis Pyrard ( Voy. E. Ind., etc., 

 1601 (ed. Hakl. Soc.), i., 229) states that in the Maldives the ambergris (called 

 gomen, and when prepared meuuare) thrown up on the coast formed part of the 

 King's revenue. Jahangir (Memoirs (Price, transl.), 2-3) describes the way in 

 which it was employed to perfume the throne. In Europe some time ago it was 

 used as a flavouring material with food. By Milton it is alluded to as grisamber 

 (Par. Reg., ii., 337). [Cf. Blanford, Fa. Br. Ind. (Mammalia), 571 ; Ainslie, 

 Mat. Ind., i., 15-7 ; Trans. Med. and Phys. Soc. Bomb., n.s., i., 149 ; xii., 172 ; 

 Madras, Man. Admin., i., 30 ; Baden Powell, Pb. Prod., i., 190 ; Hunter, Imp. Gaz. 

 Nicobar, x., 297 ; Birdwood and Foster, E.I.C. First Letter Book, 58, 81, 

 119, 128, 245-6, 258, 299; Foster, English Factories, 1618-21 (ed. 1906), 58; 

 Burma and its People (ed. Theobald), 1882, i., 445 ; Journ. Chem. Indust., 1890, 

 ix., 429 ; etc., etc.] 



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