, 



BENZOIN 649 



irritants, causing vomiting and purgation, and also nephritis 

 and albuminuria by the excretion of the small amount 

 absorbed. 



BENZOIN 



BENZOINUM. A balsamic resin obtained from Styrax 

 benzoin and probably from other species of Styrax 

 (B.P.). Nat. Ord. Styracese. 



The styrax benzoin abounds in Siam, Sumatra, and 

 Borneo. Incisions are made into the bark, when the thick, 

 white, resinous juice exudes, and concretes in tears, which 

 are subsequently made into larger masses, and imported in 

 wooden cases. The colourless or reddish tears are imbedded 

 in an amber-brown transparent resin. Inferior qualities 

 are dark-brown or nearly black, and devoid of amygdaloid 

 structure. 



Benzoin is brittle and easily pulverised, softens readily 

 when warmed, and when further heated yields fumes of 

 benzoic acid. It is slightly heavier than water ; soluble in 

 alcohol and in solution of potassium hydroxide. Besides 

 traces of volatile oil, benzoin contains about 80 per cent, 

 of three resins, distinguished by differences of solubility, 

 and from 14 to 20 of the acrid, crystalline, benzoic acid, 

 (C 6 H 5 C0 2 H). Some samples contain as much as 10 per 

 cent, of the allied cinnamic acid. 



Benzoic acid is obtained from benzoin by sublimation. 

 It may also be obtained from toluene, from hippuric acid, 

 and from other organic compounds (B.P.). It occurs in 

 light, feathery crystals, which are soluble in 400 parts 

 of cold or twelve parts of boiling water, in three parts 

 alcohol (90 per cent.), five parts glycerin, seven of chloro- 

 form, and in the fixed and volatile oils ; also in solution 

 of the alkalies and of calcium hydroxide forming benzoates. 

 Ammonii benzoas is a crystalline salt produced by neutral- 

 ising benzoic acid with solution of ammonia. Soluble in 

 six parts of water, twenty-two of rectified spirit, and in 

 eight of glycerin. Sodii benzoas, obtained by neutralising 

 benzoic acid with sodium carbonate, is soluble in two parts 

 cold water, and in twenty-four of rectified spirit. 



