MYRRHA. MYRRH. 7 1 



Splinters of resin may be seen which show irregular and 

 finely- toothed edges. On the addition of water the 

 gummy ground mass is dissolved; the granules and 

 droplets forming emulsions. 



Chemistry. — Ammoniacum consists of a mixture of 

 varying proportions of ethereal oils, i to 2 per cent., 

 resins, gums, 65 to 70 per cent., and pectin-like bodies. 

 Ash 20 per cent. A certain amount of water is always 

 found in the commercial product. 



The ethereal oils are found in small quantities only, 

 generally less than 10 per cent. It is soluble in CSj. 

 The resin is to be distinguished from other resins, ac- 

 cording to Pflugge,* in that its alcoholic solution gives a 

 red reaction when added to a bromide of sodium solution 

 (30 gr. NaOH in Aq. Br. 20 gr. Aq. i liter). Umbelliferon 

 would seem to be absent. 



MYRRHA. MYRRH. 



Myrrha is a gum resin obtained from Commiphora 

 Myrrha (Nees), Engler, a small tree native of Arabia and 

 the northeast coast of Africa, where, however, a number 

 of allied species are to be found. 



Myrrh flows spontaneously from the bark, being an 

 emulsion-like fluid, and is formed in the inner bark in 

 schizogenous passages, there lying amid parenchymatic 

 secretory cells. 



As the myrrh first exudes, it is soft and yellowish, clear 

 or turbid, becoming as it hardens more golden and clear, 

 finally golden yellow to reddish. In the market it ap- 

 pears as irregular, angular lumps, made up of a number 

 of smaller lumps or tears, the surface being irregular 

 and rough, yellowish to reddish, translucent, yellow, 

 waxy. The fracture is also waxy and the cut surface is of 

 the same color or darker, even brown, or specked with 

 lighter pieces, some white. Very hard pieces have a 

 ♦ Archiv d. Phar., 221, 1883, p. 21. 



