AFeb™UaryTi8a95m'}  Notes  on  Some  Saps  and  Secretions.  97 
African  bdellium  is  translucent,  but  has  a  dull  fracture.  The  taste 
is  slightly  bitter. 
B.  kataf,  Kunth ;  Amyris  kataf,  Forsk.,  furnishes  the  gum  resin 
or  African  bdellium,  which  reaches  Bombay  from  Berbera,  the  purer 
kinds  very  much  resembling  myrrh  in  perfume.  The  opaque 
bdellium  of  Guibourt  is  used  for  the  extraction  of  the  Guinea  worm. 
It  is  of  a  yellowish  white  color,  resembling  ammoniacum. 
B.  mukuly  Hooker,  of  Scinde  and  Beloochistan,  furnishes  the 
Indian  bdellium,  or  "  Gugul,"  which  is  used  in  native  medicine  as  a 
demulcent,  aperient,  carminative  and  alterative ;  especially  useful  in 
leprosy,  rheumatism  and  syphilitic  disorders.  It  is  also  prescribed 
in  nervous  diseases,  scrofulous  affections,  urinary  disorders  and  skin 
diseases,  and  is  employed  in  the  preparation  of  an  ointment  for  bad 
ulcers.  A  fragrant  balsam  is  obtained  in  Arabia  from  the  fruit  of 
this  species.  The  African  bdellium  is  the  product  of  another  species. 
B.  myrrha,  Nees. — This  tree  of  Arabia  and  Africa  yields  the 
myrrh  of  commerce,  which  occurs  in  the  form  of  tears,  of  irregular 
shape,  of  variable  size,  and  of  a  yellow  or  reddish- yellow  color, 
light,  brittle,  somewhat  translucent,  and  at  times  shining.  Fracture 
vitreous  or  conchoidal,  of  a  bitter  aromatic  taste  and  peculiar  smell. 
It  contains  a  volatile  oil,  was  used  in  ancient  times  as  "  frankincense," 
and  is  still  so  employed  in  China.  Myrrh  is  used  as  a  stimulating 
medicine,  and  as  an  ingredient  in  tooth  powders.  Bombay  is  the 
chief  port  at  which  myrrh  is  received  and  shipped.  Four  kinds  are 
imported  there :  the  African  or  true  myrrh,  which  is  considered  the 
best  quality ;  the  Arabian,  the  Persian  (source  unknown),  and  the 
Siam.  On  the  bags  arriving  at  that  port,  they  are  opened  and 
sorted  into  the  different  kinds. 
The  Aden  agents  of  Bombay  houses  attend  the  annual  fair  at 
Berbera,  and  exchange  goods  for  the  gum  resins.  The  bags  or 
bales,  when  opened  in  Bombay,  are  found  to  be  made  up  of  (1)  a 
large  proportion  of  roundish  masses  of  fine  myrrh  ;  (2)  of  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  small,  semi-transparent  pieces  of  myrrh  of 
irregular  shape ;  (3)  of  numerous  pieces  of  dark-colored  myrrh, 
mixed  with  bark  and  other  refuse ;  (4)  a  small  proportion  of  an 
opaque  bdellium.  When  sorted  the  best  myrrh  goes  to  Europe,  the 
darker  pieces  form  a  second  quality  and  the  refuse  is  exported  to 
China,  where  it  is  probably  used  as  incense. 
Myrrh  is  beneficial  in  dyspepsia,  amenorrhcea  and  chlorosis,  and  a 
