MATERIA MEDICA. 295 
feveral pieces, and leaves on the water fome oily 
colour, red particles, we may fafely conclude, that 
the Balfam is adulterated. I faw experiments 
made, both of the true and adulterated, and 
found them well grounded. The bubbles in the 
firft experiment, and the breaking or dividing of 
the fkin in the fecond, are owing to the extra- 
neous particles with which the Ballam has been 
adulterated. The drugs uied to adulterate the 
Balfam, or to encreafe it in bulk, but diminiih its 
virtues, are oil of ( Sefamum ) oily grain, which is 
extracted in large quantities in Egypt ; Cyprus 
turpentine and the fat of oftriches •, thele aie not 
all mixed with it at one time, but according to 
the convenience of the feller-, and in this manner, 
almoft all the Balfam expofed for fale is adulter- 
ated, even in the place whence it is firft brought. 
None of tbofe who have wrote on the Balfam 
of Mecca, have been acquainted with the place 
whence it is brought. Every body knows, that 
it comes from Mecca, and I believe imagine, that 
it grows fomewhere near that place. We have 
even travels and hiftories informing us of the 
gardens round Mecca, iri which this tree is plant- 
ed and carefully cultivated, of the prerogative the 
Turkifh Emperor enjoys, to preferve the belt for 
himfelf, of the guard the Turks conftantly keep 
that none of the trees may be carried thence. This 
Rory has been hitherto believed juft as it was re- 
prefented by the firft relator, who told us this, 
that he might not be thought intirely ignorant of 
the matter. It would be worth while to make a 
journey to the place where this tree grows, in or- 
der to obtain a true hiftory of it •, but this cannot 
be done by a Chriftian ; we mud therefore truft 
to the informations we can get from fuch as are 
U 4 permitted 
