Balsam

“ There was no salt in the air, no citrus scent in the breeze, no heavy incense of the great magnolia bloom perfuming the wilderness like a cathedral aisle where a young bride passes, clouded in lace.
But in the heat a heavy, sweetish odor hung; balsam it is called, and mingled, too, with a faint scent like our bay, which comes from a woody bush called sweet-fern. That, and the strong smell of the bluish, short-needled pine, was ever clogging my nostrils and confusing me. Once I thought to scent a 'possum, but the musky taint came from a rotting log ”

“ The simple balsam was made by boiling one pound of flowers of sulphur with four times its weight of olive oil until the sulphur was dissolved and a thick dark balsamic substance was obtained. This was the formula of the P.L. 1746. But linseed oil and walnut oil were often prescribed in preference to olive oil, and oil of anise, oil of amber, oil of juniper, white wine, Barbadoes tar, turpentine, myrrh, aloes, and saffron; one or more of these substances were combined with the balsam in other receipts. ”

“ A great variety of substances pass under this name, but the term is now usually restricted to resins which, in addition to a volatile oil, contain benzoic and cinnamic acid. Among the true balsams are the balm of Gilead, and the balsams of copaiba, Peru, and Tolu. There are also many pharmaceutical preparations and resinous substances, possessed of a balsamic smell, to which the name balsam has been given.
2. (Bot.) (a) A species of tree (Abies balsamea) . (b) An annual garden plant (Impatiens balsamina) with beautiful flowers; balsamine.
3. Anything that heals, soothes, or restores. ”

“ Peruvian Balsam. Qualities. Form, a viscid liquid of a reddish brown colour. Odour, fragrant and aromatic. Taste, hot and bitter. Chemical Composition. Resin, volatile oil, and benzoic acid; it is therefore a true balsam: this term was formerly applied to every vegetable resin having a strong scent and the fluidity of treacle, and which was supposed to possess many medicinal virtues; it is now restricted to those resins which contain the benzoic acid in their composition, of which there are only three, viz. the Balsams of Peru, Tolu, and Benzoin. ”

“ Horstius saith, that in the whole Republick of Medicine, there is scarcely found an Apoplectick Balsam more illustrious for Fame, more noble for Virtue, more worthy for Honour, more ready for Help, and more fragrant for smell, than this. It chears and comforts all the spirits, natural, vital, and animal, by anointing the extremities of the Nostrils and the Pulses. ”

“ As adulterants, are used: Alcohol, volatile oils, fat oil, especially castor oil; further, copaiba balsam, Canada balsam, gurjun balsam, storax, benzoin, and asphaltum. The establishment of these adulterants is connected with difficulties; but the properties of Peru balsam are so characteristic that it is quite easy to detect whether it is genuine and pure, or not, the specific gravity and proportions of solubility deserving especial attention in this respect. ”

“ UNG. PERUVIAN. It is sometimes difficult to make this ointment smooth, as, though readily miscible at first, continued trituration causes the balsam to separate, and like the colored person who “the more he was called, the more he would not come,” the more it is rubbed, the more it separates. This hostility to union is readily overcome by the addition of ten drops or so of alcohol for each drachm of the balsam. It is perhaps unnecessary to state that this difficulty will not be had when the balsam is adulterated with alcohol—a good practical test of the purity of the article. ”

“ In the presence of fat or volatile oils, copaiba balsam, gurjun balsam, or Canada balsam, it remains, however, more or less thickly fluid or more or less soft-smeary. If the balsam be pure, the cold mixture, after washing with water, should yield a hardish or soft-friable mass, which, when kneaded with the fingers, should not prove smeary or sticky.
Fat oils are also very readily recognized by the use of warm petroleum-ether. The extract is evaporated, saponified with potash lye, extracted with alcohol, evaporated and decomposed with hydrochloric acid. ”

“ The balsam formerly imported into Europe, is obtained chiefly by incision; but the quantity afforded by one tree is so very small, and the collecting of it is attended with so much trouble, that the genuine balm is seldom, and perhaps never exported in a commercial way. ”

“ We have succeeded in extracting it directly from the pods. This White Balsam, which is distinctly mentioned in the letter of Palacio in 1576 (see p. 206) , is a scarce and valuable article, never prepared for the market. A large jar of it was sent to Pereira in 1850; [811] Guzman [812] and Wyss state that it is known in the country as “Balsamito,” or “Balsamo catolico or Virgin Balsam.” [Pg 211]
A fragrant balsamic resin is collected, though in but very small quantity, from Myroxylon peruiferum Linn. f., a noble tree of New Granada, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. ”

“ Balsam, bawl′sam, n. the common name of a genus of succulent herbaceous plants: a resinous oily substance generally supposed to be derived from a species of Balsamodendron, early famous in the East for its fragrance and medicinal virtues: (fig.) any healing agent.—v.t. to heal: (rare) embalm.—adjs. Balsam′ic, Bal′samous, having the qualities of balsam: soothing; Balsamif′erous, producing balsam; Bal′samy, fragrant.—Canada balsam, a kind of turpentine obtained from the Balm of Gilead fir. ”

“ Bidding the men gather all the gum and balsam they could find, I put the whole of our bacon, some ten pounds at least, half-a-dozen candles, and the gum and balsam into our pot, set it over a brisk fire, and produced the most extraordinary compound you can imagine. ”

“ Balsams without benzoic acid:—
Copaiva balsam, balsam of copahu or capivi, is obtained from incisions made in the trunk of the Copaifera officinalis, a tree which grows in Brazil and Cayenne. It is pale yellow, middling liquid, clear transparent, has a bitter, sharp, hot taste; a penetrating disagreeable smell; a specific gravity of from 0·950 to 0·996. It dissolves in absolute alcohol, partially in spirit of wine, forms with alkalis, crystalline compounds. It consists of 45·59 ethereous oil, 52·75 of a yellow brittle resin, and 1·66 of a brown viscid resin. ”

“ In the presence of alcohol, yellow crystals of iodoform, which are readily recognized under the microscope by their form, collect on the bottom of the fluid. Adulteration with a volatile oil is recognized in the distillate by odor and taste.
Fat oil, Canada balsam, copaiba balsam, gurjun balsam, and volatile oil may be recognized by the following tests: If pure Peru balsam in a porcelain saucer is thoroughly mixed with an equal volume of pure concentrated sulphuric acid, the mixture thereby becomes heated, vapors of a pungent odor being emitted, and if then set aside to cool, it congeals. ”

“ Liquidambar balsam is derived from Liquidambar styraciflua, a tree found in the United States and Mexico. It contains cinnamic acid, but not benzoic acid.
Of so-called balsams, entirely destitute of cinnamic and benzoic constituents, the following are found in commerce:—Mecca balsam or Balm of Gilead, from Commiphora opobalsamum, a tree growing in Arabia and Abyssinia, is supposed to be the balm of Scripture and the βάλσαμον of Theophrastus. When fresh it is a viscid fluid, with a penetrating odour, but it solidifies with age. ”

“ This Balsam mundifies, incarnates, and cicatrizes Wounds; being likewise good against the Bitings of venomous Beasts, and fistulous and malignant Ulcers.
Samaritan Balsam. Take an equal quantity of common Oil and good Wine; boil 'em together in a glaz'd Earthen Vessel, till the Wine be wholly consum'd, and the Balsam will be made. I have produc'd this Balsam in particular, by reason of its simplicity, and in regard that it may be readily prepar'd at all times. It serves to mundifie and consolidate simple Wounds more especially those that are recent. ”

“ With respect to the medicinal properties of this balsam, it is said to be both corroborant and detergent. It strengthens the nervous system, tends to open the bowels, in large doses proves purgative, and promotes the secretion of urine. It has also been recommended in dysenteries, and in diseases of the breast and lungs. Fuller observes, that he has known very dangerous coughs, cured by the use of this balsam alone; and though, being hot and bitter, it produces good effects, even in hectic cases. ”

“ If, however, you are content with a brush bed—and the sweet aromatic balsam boughs should be good enough for any man—cut only the smaller boughs and arrange them in rows, the points of each row overlapping and covering the thick and hard butts of the row above. ”

“ Take Barley-water, strained through a piece of fine linen cloth, and drop into it a few drops of Balm of Gilead; shake the bottle for several hours, until the Balsam is entirely incorporated with the Water, which is known by the turbid milky appearance of the Mixture. This greatly improves the complexion, and preserves the bloom of youth. If used only once [86] a day, it takes away wrinkles, and gives the skin a surprising lustre. ”

“ Additionally the genuine balsam dripped onto milk or water dissolves rapidly and milky, but the false swims over like oil, aggregated in itself, then spreading out radially. Over time however the genuine also thickens itself, it becomes worse all by itself. ”

“ Fresh oil of patchouly is brown in color, very viscid, almost like balsam, and surpasses all other essential oils in the intensity of its odor. Owing to the strong odor, pure oil of patchouly must really be called ill-smelling; only when highly diluted does the odor become pleasant, and then forms a useful ingredient of many perfumes as the fundamental odor in the harmony. ”

“ This balsam is used in medicine both in the form of a tincture, and a syrup; and, in its medicinal virtues, it agrees with most other balsams. The syrup of Tolu is used in several medicines; and is also made into lozenges, which may be procured of almost any chemist, and which are considered serviceable in appeasing the irritation occasioned by severe coughing.
140. BENZOIN or GUM BENJAMIN, is a concrete or solid and fragrant balsamic substance, the produce of a tree (Styrax benzoe) which grows chiefly in the island of Sumatra. ”

“ Don’t you know there’s a famous stuff for cuts and wounds, called balsam?”
“What, Riga balsam?”
“Yes, that’s it; well, all the boats will bring that for sale, as they did to us in the old St. George. Devilish good stuff it is for wounds, I believe; but it’s not bad to drink, and it’s very strong. ”

“ The balsam is obtained by making an incision in the tree, from which the sap exudes, and is absorbed by bunches of raw cotton. These, when thoroughly saturated, are thrown into vats of boiling water and replaced by others. The balsam leaves the cotton, rises to the surface of the water, and at intervals is skimmed off and placed in wooden bowls or{195} gourds, where it hardens, and then is wrapped in the leaves of the tree and sent to market. ”

“ After drying, soak for a day in turpentine, and mount in the ordinary manner with balsam. This is a good polarising object; but the interest, and I think the beauty, is increased by procuring a piece of eel’s skin with the scales in sitû, washing and drying under pressure, and mounting in balsam as before. The arrangement of the scales produces beautiful “waves” of colour, which are quite soothing to the eye after examining some of the very gorgeous salts, &c. ”

“ The leaves of balsam fir possess a pleasing and characteristic odor which is turned to account in a practical way. The small needles are stripped from the branches in large quantities, cleaned, dried, and are used for stuffing sofa pillows, cushions, and other kinds of upholstery. The odor persists a long time. Much of the collecting of the needles is done in summer as a pastime by summer campers in the northern woods. The needles are sufficiently tough to stand much wear in pillows, and they are still odorous when long use has ground them to powder. ”

“ Its color varies from honey-yellow to reddish-brown; the taste is at first sweet, then sharp, it softens under the heat of the hand, and when warmed or sprinkled in powder form on glowing coals it diffuses a very pleasant odor recalling that of Peru balsam or vanilla. It shares with storax and Peru balsam the valuable property of fixing volatile odors and is often employed for this purpose, but is also frequently used alone in fumigating powders, tooth powders, etc. Adulteration of Tolu balsam with Venice turpentine or colophony is not rarely met with.
Tonka Beans. ”

“ To either of the above add of balsam of Peru, 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 oz.; and, after solution, either strain the mixture through muslin, or allow it to settle, and decant the clear portion from the dregs.
Use, &c. A popular preventive of chapping and chilblains. A little is well rubbed into the skin, previously washed clean and wiped dry. Some persons add colour and scent; but they are generally sold without either. The only suitable colours are amber, pink, or yellow. The best perfumes are allspice, ambergris, cassia, cloves, mush, nutmeg, rondoletia, vanilla, and violets. ”

“ Camphorated vinegar, with spirits of camphor.
4. A varnish, composed of the balsam of Peru, and balsam of copaiba, fluid styrax, oil of nutmeg, lavender, and thyme, &c.
5. Alcohol saturated with hyper-oxygenated muriate of mercury.
The whole being prepared, the cavities are opened with large incisions, and the viscera extracted; a crucial incision is made in the integuments of the cranium, the skull sawn circularly, and the brain removed; the intestinal tube is to be opened its whole length, and numerous deep incisions made in it; the whole to be washed repeatedly ”