Pharmacopedia, a commentary on the British pharmacopoeia, 1898

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1901 Excerpt: ... to the official description. With regard to Arabian myrrh, it has been stated that there are three varieties in commerce--Arabian myrrh (Hanbury), Arabian myrrh (Dymock), and Yemen myrrh, but the last two are probably identical. In any case, only Somali, Fadhli, and Yemen myrrh--the last two but rarely--are met with in the London market. Somali myrrh occurs in irregularly-rounded, brownish pieces, which are from 25 to 75 Mm. or more in diameter, and covered more or less with fine powder; it is obtained from Balsamodc.droit myrrhi, Ness, and is imported into Europe or Bombay by way of Berbera and Aden. Fadhli (Arabian) myrrh, which is also exported from Aden, occurs in smaller and more gummy-looking pieces, which are rarely more than 40 Mm. in diameter, and are not so strongly aromatic as Somali myrrh. Yemen (Arabian) myrrh is more like Somali myrrh, but is of"a dark reddish-brown colour, and has a somewhat disagreeable odour; it is probably identical with the Arabian myrrh exported to India (Bombay) from Makalla and Aden. Characters and Tests.--Myrrh occurs in small rounded or irregular fragments or tears, or in masses of agglutinated portions which differ slightly in their shade of colour. The reddish-brown or reddish-yellow pieces vary in size from small grains the size of a pea to masses as large as the fist; the pieces have a somewhat rough, dull, dusty surface, being more or less covered by a fine powder. They are dry and brittle, breaking fairly easily, with an irregular fracture. The fractured surface is somewhat translucent, and of a rich brown or reddish-brown colour; it frequently exhibits opaque, whitish or yellowish spots or veins, and has an unctuous or oily granular appearance. Thin splinters of the gum-resin are translucent or almost tr...