180 MEDICINAL PLANTS, 



The description of the Balsam of Mecca-tree, lately given by 

 Gleditsch, differs from that of all other writers : he removes it from 

 the genus Amyris, as not having the characters of that family ; we 

 shall therefore leave this author without making any further re- 

 mark. 



This balsam, which has been received in the different pharma- 

 copeias under the names of Balsamum de Mecca, Opobalsamum, 

 Balsainum verum, and Balsamum Gileadense, issues spontaneously 

 from the bark of the tree ; but is more commonly obtained by in- 

 cisions : the Xylobalsamum, as the name imports, is prepared from 

 the wood, and the Carpobalsamum from the fruit. The balsam 

 now imported into Europe is reported to be principally collected 

 between Mecca and Medina. "The bark/' Mr. Bruce says, u is cut 

 by an axe, when the juice is in its strongest circulation in July, Au- 

 gust, and the beginning of September. It is then received into a 

 small earthen bottle, and every day's produce gathered and poured 

 into a larger, which is kept closely corked. The Opobalsamum, 

 or juice flowing from the balsam-tree, at first when it is received 

 into the bottle or vase from the wound from whence it issues, is of 

 a light yellow colour, apparently turbid, in which there is a whitish 

 cast, which I apprehend are the globules of air that pervade the 

 whole of it in its first state of fermentation ; it then appears very 

 light upon shaking. As it settles and cools, it turns clear, and 

 loses that milkiness which it first had when flowing from the tree 

 into the bottle. It then has the colour of honey, and appears more 

 fixed and heavy than at first. After being kept for years, it grows 

 of a much deeper yellow, and of the colour of gold. I have some 

 of it which I got from the Cadi of Medina in 1768 ; it is now still 

 deeper in colour, full as much so as the yellowest honey. It is per- 

 fectly fluid, and has lost very little either of its taste, smell, or 

 weight. The smell at first is violent, and strongly pungent, giving 

 a sensation to the brain like that of volatile salts when rashly drawn 

 up by an incautious person. This lasts in proportion to its fresh- 

 ness, for, being neglected and the bottle uncorked, it quickly loses 

 this quality, as it probably will at last by age, whatever care is 

 taken of it.'' 



The balsam which one tree yields is very small, and the collect- 

 jug of it is tedious and troublesome : hence it is so very scarce that 



