1130

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

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Hab. —Peru, New Grenada , Columbia, and Mexico Grows n)warm, and sunny situations.—Flowers from August to October.

Collection. —Monardes (op. cit. p. 302) says, that there are ^modes of procuring the balsam; viz. incision into the bark of the ^and coction of the branches and trunk in water. The first method J 1 ^a white liquid balsam , the second a blackish red liquid. Ruiz (°/' ^p. 95) states, that the white liquid balsam is preserved for y eil q ie g,bottles, in the fluid state; but when deposited in mats or ealib^, , ^which is commonly done in Carthagena, and in the mountains ofit, after some time, condenses and hardens into resin, and is then ^yminated dry white balsam or balsam of Tolu; while the extract m a ^boiling the bark in water is blackish, remains liquid, and is kno« u -the name of black Peruvian balsam. There is, however, obviouslyconfusion in this statement; and several reasons have led pharniac ^gists to doubt whether the black balsam of the shops is obtaine ^coction. Ruiz does not speak from his own observation, butauthority of Valmont de Bomare. Lastly, Hernandez (Rev. Meu-Hisp. Thes. p.51,1651) says, the balsam obtained by incision is yella tt -black ( efulvo in nigrum). Professor Guibourt has received from W- , 0 fbalsam of Peru , which he obtained in great abundance on the c° a ^ySon Sonate, in the state of San-Salvador (the republic of GuatimaW j tincisions into the stem of a Myrospermum, whose fruit is very dmto that of M- peruiferam (Hist, des Drog. ii. 590, 3 me ed.) Th. a( Pharmakogn .) suggests, that the black balsam of Peru is procuredkind of destillatio per descensum ; but the absence of pyrogeuous p r0in the balsam seems to me to be averse to this opinion. af e

Commerce . —Balsam of Peru is imported in pear-shaped earthen' ^pots, and in tin canisters, from Valparaiso, Islay , Lima, Truxill°> y j aS tIquique, Belize , &c. The duty (Is. per lb.) paid on it during m esix years, is as follows (Trade List ):—

1331 lbs-

In 1834 . 1893 lbs.

1835 . 243

1836 . 1880

In 1837

1838

1839

1798

825

ah 0

(balsamum peruvianum) c ?^ e< ^ ra ns-

Description. —Balsam of Peru

black or liquid balsam of Peru (balsamum peruvianum nigrum) - cCparent, deep, reddish-brown or black liquid, which has the consis ^of treacle, a powerful but agreeable odour, somewhat similar to t ^

vanilla and benzoin, and which is increased by dropping the balsa j

a red-hot coal, and a warm, acrid, bitter taste. It is inllammatnbums with a fuliginous flame. It is soluble in alcohol; the sohowever, is not clear, but lets fall after some time a deposit. T° 0 ^ t ' 0water it yields its acid (usually stated to be the benzoic, but accorcFremy and others, it appears to be the cinnamonic acid). R s S P’ D1-150 to P160. ' ce

1 have received from Professor Guibourt another balsamic sununder the name of balsam of Peru in cocoa-nut shells (baume du gera cocos). The shell has the size and shape of a small lemon- ^ );ltcontained balsam is deep brown, and has an odour very similarof balsam of Tolu. Guibourt says, “ it appears to be formed jtkinds of matter : one more fluid, another more solid, grumous, anwere crystalline. Its taste is mild and sweetish. It has a strong 1 a