MYRRH. 



53 



comes in imperfect quills, of a yellowish-white colour, and a bitter 

 aromatic taste. Its properties are those of a stimulant tonic and 

 aromatic. Not much employed alone ; an ingredient in the hiera 

 picra, or pulvis aloes et canellce. 



Angustura, U. S. 



Bark of the Galipea officinalis, a small tree growing in South 

 America ; comes in pieces slightly curved, about a line in thickness, 

 and bevelled at the edges. Colour, yellowish-gray ; taste, bitter and 

 aromatic. Virtues depend upon a volatile oil and bitter extractive. 

 A stimulant tonic, not much employed at present ; should be care- 

 fully distinguished from the false Arigustura bark, which is derived 

 from the nux vomica, and is very poisonous. 



Myrrh. — (Myrrha, U. S.) 



An exudation from the Balsamodendron myrrha, a shrub, or small 

 tree, growing in Arabia and Abyssinia. The juice exudes spon- 

 taneously, or by incision. Two commercial varieties — India and 

 Turkey myrrh : the latter is the finest ; comes in masses and tears ; 



Fig. 12. 



of a pale reddish-yellow colour, semi-transparent and brittle ; of an 

 aromatic peculiar odour. India myrrh is much inferior, — darker, 

 softer, and much mixed "svith a substance called bdellium. Myrrh is 

 usually imported from Bombay. It is a gum-resin, associated with 

 a volatile oil; forms a clear tincture with alcohol, and with water a 

 yellow opaque emulsion. 



The alkalies have the property of uniting with myrrh, and ren- 



5* 



