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Show A4Q BENJAMIN OR BENZOIN TREE. BENJAMIN OR BENZOIN TREE, to it, but not luted ; and sublime. Remove the sublimed matter occasionally from the neck of the retort, lest it accumulatein too great a quantity. If it be soiled with oil, separate the oil bypressing it, folded upin blotting paper, and repeat the sublimation. Frowerrs or Benzorn. (Flores Benzoes. L.) Take of benzoin, in powder, one pound: Put it into an earthen pot, placed in sand, and, with a slow fire, sublimethe flowers into a paper cone fitted to the pot. If the flowers be of a yellowcolour, mix them with white clay, and sublime them a secondtime. The distinguishing character of balsams is their containing benzoic acid, which maybe separated from the resin, their other principal constituent, either by sublimation, or by combining it with a salifiable base. The London and Dublin colleges direct it to be done in the former way. But, even with the greatest care, it is almost impossibleto manage the heat so as not to decompose part of the resin, and thus give rise to the formation of an empyreumatic oil, which contaminates the product. Nor can it be freed completelyfrom the empyreumatic oil by bibulous paper, as prescribed by the Dublin college, and still less by the second sublimation with clay, directed by that of London. The other method of separating benzoic acid from resin was first practised by Scheele, who employed lime water; Gottling afterwards used carbonateof potass ; and, lastly, Gren usedcarbonate of soda, which has been adopted by the Berlin college, and now bythat of Edinburgh. Mr. Brandé prefers Scheele’s process, as the lime dissolves less of the resin of the benzoin than the alkaliesdo. In experiments, which he made for the purpose of ascertaining the comparative value of the different processes, he obtained from one pound of benzoin, By sublimation ~- 2 2 2 LL — Scheele’s process 5 5 2 Uy — Gren’s and Gottling’s process - Zz dr. scr. gr. 6 0 19 10 — boiling benzoin in water - . 10 As the crystallized acid, on account of its lightness and elasticity, is not easily reduced to powder, for most purposes it will be more convenient to keepit in the state ofa precipitate, It mayalsobe extracted from storax, and all the other bal- AAS sams, particularly those of Tolu or Peru; and from the urine of children, and of herbivorous animals. The benzoic acid has an agreeable taste, and a fragrant smell, especially when heated. It is soluble in alcohol, and in boiling water, but very sparingly in cold water, although it maybesuspended in it, by means of sugar, so as to form an elegant bal- samic syrup. The dose is ten grains to half a drachm. Comrounp Tincture oF Benzorn. (Tinctura Benzoes Com. posita, vulgo Balsamum Traumaticum. E.) Take of benzoin, in powder, three ounces ; balsam of Tolu, one ounce; — socotrine aloes, in powder, half an ounce ; alcohol, two pounds: Digest with a gentlé heat for seven days, andstrain. Comeounp Tincture or Benzoin. (Tinctura Benzoes Composita. L. D.) Take of benzoin, three ounces ; purified storax, two ounces ; balsam of Tolu, one ounce; socotrine aloes, half an ounce; rectified spirit of wine, two pints: Digest for seven days, and filter. Both preparations may be consideredas elegant simplifications of some very complicated compositions, which were celebrated under different names; such as Baume de Commandeur, Wade’s balsam, Friar’s balsam, Jesuit’s drops, &c. ‘These, in general, consisted of a confused farrago of discordant substances. The dose is a tea-spoonful in some cold water four times a day, in consumptions andspitting of blood. It is useful also when applied on lint to recent wounds, and serves the purpose of a scab, but must not be soon removed. spitting of blood immediately. Poured on sugar it removes PRESCRIPTION. R,. 1. Take of compound tincture of benzoin, — purified honey —— rose water = = tincture of opium = drops 40, +. - - drachms 1, © « «= ounce 1k, - ~- - drops 3: Make into a draught, to be taken four times a day. in consumptions, Excellent |