SECT. XVII. BALSAMS. 445 



in the trunk, and comes into Europe in masses of 

 a light brown colour, variegated with yellow specks. 

 It is brittle with a vitreous fracture. It is soluble 

 in alcohol. When rubbed it emits a fragrant odour, 

 and when heated it lets the benzoic acid escape. 

 It is made use of to perfume apartments, or to 

 furnish benzoic acid. 



Storax. This balsam is obtained from the 

 Sty rax officinale, a tree which grows in France, 

 Italy, and the Islands of the Levant. It is ex- 

 tracted by means of incisions, and concretes into 

 cakes or masses of an irregular form, and a brown or 

 reddish colour. Its taste is spicy, and its smell 

 fragrant : it is employed in perfumery. 



Styrax. This substance is a semi-fluid juice 

 It does not seem to be ascertained of what tree it is 

 the produce. But the tree is said to be cultivated 

 in Arabia, and known to the natives by the name of 

 rosamallos. The balsam procured from it is 

 greenish ; its taste aromatic ; and its smell pleasant. 

 It is a combination of benzoic acid and resin, and is 

 used in pharmacy in the preparation of an ointment. 



Balsam of Tolu. This balsam is obtained from 

 the Toluifera Balsamum, a tree of South America. 

 It flows from incisions made in the bark, and is 

 brought to Europe in small gourd shells. Its colour 

 is brown, and its smell fragrant ; but its chemical 

 properties have not yet been fully investigated. 

 It is employed in medicine, and is esteemed effica- 

 cious in diseases of the lungs. 



Balsam of Peru. This balsam is obtained from 



