_Galbanum._
QUALITIES. _Form_, variegated masses, of a yellowish brown colour;
_Odour_, fetid; _Taste_, bitter and acrid. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. It is
one of those vegetable products to which the name of _gum-resin_ has
been given, _see Elemi_. The latest analysis of galbanum by M. Meisner,
affords the following results, Resin 65·8; Gum 22·6; Cerasin 1·8; Malic
acid 0·2; Volatile oil 3·4; Vegetable Debris 2·8; loss 3·4. SOLUBILITY.
Water, wine, and vinegar, by trituration, take up one-fourth of its
weight, and form a milky mixture, which deposits its charge by rest; a
permanent suspension, however, may be effected by the intermedium of egg
or of gum arabic, for which purpose the galbanum will require half its
weight of gum. Alcohol takes up one-fifth of its weight, and a golden
yellow tincture results, which has the sensible qualities of the
galbanum, and becomes milky on the addition of water, but no precipitate
falls. A mixture of two parts of rectified spirit and one of water, will
dissolve all but the impurities. By distillation, galbanum yields half
its weight of volatile oil, which at first has a blue colour. MED. USES.
It is antispasmodic, expectorant, and deobstruent, and in a medical
classification, might be placed between ammonia and assafœtida. FORMS OF
EXHIBITION. No form is preferable to that of pill. OFFICINAL. PREP.
_Pil. Galbani comp._ L. _Pil. Assafœtid. comp._ E. (=B=) _Pil. Myrrh.
co._ D. _Tinct. Galb._ D. _Empl. Galb._ D. _Emplast. Galb. co._ L.
_Emplast. Assafœtid._ E. (=B=) _Emplast. Gummos._ E.