GALBANUM GALE, SWEET. Ill 



raised rings or scars of leaf bases. Fracture hard and 

 tough. The transversely cut surface is paler than the 

 outside with a darker central column. Taste, pungent 

 and spicy. Odour, agreeable, recalling that of ginger. 



QALBANUM. Ferula galbaniflua, Boiss. et Buhse. 



N.O. Umbellifer*. 

 Syn. Gum Galbanum. 



Part used Gum-resin. 



Action Stimulant, resolvent. It has been used in- 

 ternally in hysteria, rheumatism, chronic affections of 

 mucous air passages, and is given in doses of 10-30 

 grains, mostly in emulsion. Externally it forms part of 

 plasters and ointments. 



Distinctive character The gum resin is usually 

 formed of an agglomeration of tears, some of which are 

 translucent, and pale bluish green, and are intermixed 

 with transverse sections of the root. The finest kind, 

 not often obtainable, occurs in friable masses of loosely 

 agglomerated, yellowish or brownish, small tears, 

 opaque and yellowish white internally, with a slight 

 musky as well as turpentiny odour, the latter odour 

 prevailing in the commoner kind. A piece of Galbanum 

 immersed in water will give a blue fluorescence, if a 

 drop of liquid ammonia is added, indicating the 

 presence of umbellifehone. 



GALE, SWEET. Myrica Gale, Linn. 



N.O. Myvicacets. 

 Syn. Dutch Myrtle. 



Part used Shrub. 



Action Aromatic, astringent. 



Distinctive character Stem shrubby. Leaves 

 leathery, lanceolate-obovate, about i inch long and 



