Balsam. 
dmirn treated with alcohol, a portion of ar- 
tificial tannin is obtained ; the residual char- 
coal amounts to 0.54 of the original balsam. 
4. Balsam of Peru is obtained from 
the Myroxylon Peruiferum. The tree 
is full of resin, and the balsam is ob- 
tained by boiling the twigs in water. It 
has the consistency of honey, a brown 
colour, au agreeable smell, and a hot 
acrid taste. When boiled with water for 
some time, the liquid separated by the 
filter reddens vegetable blues, and deposits 
crystals of benzoic acid on cooling. The 
water contains no other substance. When 
distilled with water, it yields a very small 
quantity of reddish limpid oil. A saturated 
solution of carbonate of soda forms with 
this balsam a thick mass. When diluted 
with water and heated, a portion is dissolv- 
ed. The solution, when saturated with 
sulphuric acid, deposits crystals of benzoic 
acid. One part of the balsam, treated 
with one part of potash dissolved in four 
parts of water, formed an opaque solution, 
which gradually separated into two por- 
tions : the uppermost, a clear oil, with some 
grey flakes at its lower surface ; the under- 
most, a dark brownish red opaque solution. 
This last solution, when saturated with sul- 
phuric acid, let fall a resinous-like substance, 
dissolved by boiling, while benzoic acid 
crystallized. Nitric acid acts upon the bal- 
sam with energy, and gives it an orange 
yellow colour, when assisted by heat. When 
distilled with a sufficient quantity of this 
acid diluted, the liquid in the receiver 
smells of bitter almonds. When this bal- 
sam is treated with sulphuric acid, artificial 
tannin is also formed, and the residual char- 
coal amounts to no less than 0.64 of the 
original weight of the balsam. 
5. Styrax. — This is a semifluid juice, 
said to be obtained from the Styrace offi- 
cinale, a tree which grows in Virginia, 
Mexico, and some other parts of America. 
It is prepared in the island Cobrass, in the 
Red Sea, from the bark of a tree called 
rosa mallos by the natives, and considered 
by botanists as the same with the Ameri- 
can species. The bark of this tree is boiled 
in salt water to the consistence of bird- 
lime, and then put into casks. Bouillon la 
Grange has published an account of its pro- 
perties. Its colour is greenish, its taste aro- 
matic, and its smell agreeable. It is easily 
volatilized by beat. When treated with 
water benzoic acid is dissolved. It is totally 
soluble in alcohol, except the impurities. 
When exposed to the air, it becomes hard- 
er, and absorbs oxygen. When distilled, 
it yields an acidulous water, having the 
Odour of benzoic acid, a limpid colourless 
hot oil, a solid coloured oil, benzoic acid, 
and a mixture of carbonic acid and carbu- 
reted hydrogen. The charcoal is light, and 
contains some oil. 
Solid balsams. The solid balsams at pre- 
sent known are only three in number; 
namely, 
1. Benzoin. 3. Dragon’s blood. 
2. Storax. 
1. Benzoin. — This substance is the pro- 
duce of the styrax benzoe, a tree which 
grows in Sumatra, &c. and which has been 
described by Dr. Dryander. Benzoin is 
obtained from this tree by incision ; a tree 
yielding three or four pounds. It is a solid 
brittle substance, sometimes in the form of 
yellowish white tears, joined together by a 
brown substance, and sometimes in the form 
of a brown substance, not unlike common 
rosin. It has a very agreeable smell, which 
is increased by heating the benzoin. It. has 
little taste. Its specific gravity is 1.092. 
Alcohol dissolves it when assisted by a gen- 
tle beat, and forms a deep yellow solution 
inclining to reddish brown. When this 
solution is diluted with water, the benzoin 
precipitates in the form of a white powder. 
It is precipitated also by muriatic and acetic 
acids, but not by the alkalies. A few drops 
of sulphuric acid likewise precipitate the 
benzoin ; but an additional quantity re- 
dissolves it, and forms a liquid of the colour 
of port wine. Nitric acid acts with violence 
on benzoin, and converts it into an orange- 
coloured mass. When assisted by heat the 
acid dissolves the benzoin ; and as the solu- 
tion cools, crystals of benzoic acid gradually 
separate. Mr. Hatchett ascertained that 
by this process a quantity of artificial tan- 
nin is formed. Sulphuric acid dissolves 
benzoin, while benzoic acid sublimes ; the 
solution is at first a deep red. By continu- 
ing the digestion, a portion of artificial 
tannen is formed, and the charcoal evolved 
amounts to 0.48 of the benzoin dissolved. 
Acetic acid dissolves benzoin without the 
assistance of heat. When heat is applied, 
the solution, as it cools, becomes turbid ; 
owing to the separation of benzoic acid. 
Benzoin is dissolved by a boiling lixivium of 
the fixed alkalis ; a dark brown solution is 
formed, which becomes turbid after some 
days’ exposure to the air. Ammonia like- 
wise dissolves benzoin sparingly. 
2 . Storax. — This is the most fragrant of 
all file balsams, and is obtained from the 
