24 CISTUS CRETICUS 



glutinous from being covered with this resinous exudation. The 

 collectors are called Labdanists ; and for its collection they use a 

 peculiar wooden instrument, which is termed an ergastiri or lamba- 

 distrion ; this is a kind of rake, to which a double row of leathern 

 thongs are fixed instead of teeth, and with which the leaves of 

 the shrubs are lightly brushed backwards and forwards, so that the 

 viscid resinous exudation may adhere to the pieces of leather, from 

 which it is afterwards scraped off with knives, and subsequently 

 kneaded and moulded into different forms. In Cyprus labdanum is 

 collected by the shepherds by combing the resin from the fleeces 

 of the sheep, which become loaded with it while they are 

 pasturing. This is then purified by fusion in pots of wood or clay, 

 and afterwards moulded into its various forms. It is stated that 

 about 6000 Ibs. are annually sent from Crete to Turkey, and that 

 the yearly produce of Cyprus varies from about 2500 to 2800 Ibs. 

 Some Labdanum is also said to be collected in Spain and Portugal, 

 but it is not an article of commerce. 



General Characters, Varieties, and Composition. There are 

 two forms of Cyprian labdanum, namely, in sticks (Labdanum in 

 bacculis), and in irregular masses (Labdanum in massis). In 

 Crete the best labdanum is considered to be that which is 

 moulded into contorted or spiral pieces (Labdanum in tortis), but 

 Cyprian labdanum is preferred at Constantinople to the best from 

 Crete. The purest labdanum has a dark reddish or almost black 

 colour externally, and internally it is greyish. It readily softens 

 by the heat of the hand, and is easily fused into a transparent 

 liquid. Its odour is agreeable and balsamic, and its taste 

 balsamic, bitterish, and slightly acrid. It is very inflammable, 

 and burns with a clear flame. Labdanum is commonly very 

 largely contaminated with sand and other earthy matters, some- 

 times to the extent of above 70 per cent. Ghiibourt found in pure 

 labdanum 86 per cent, of resin, a little volatile oil, 7 per cent, of 

 wax, and other unimportant constituents. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Labdanum possesses stimulant 

 and expectorant properties, and was formerly much employed in 

 catarrhal affections, dysentery, and several other diseases ; but its 



