was only associated with pharmacy by means of the “blood” which took
his name and was at one time popularly supposed to be yielded by him. I
know of no evidence in support of this statement, but it is sometimes
so reported. According to Pharmacographia dragon’s blood was first
obtained from Socotra and taken with other merchandise by the Arabs
to China. Possibly it was there that it acquired the name of dragon’s
blood, for the dragon has always been a much revered beast in that
country. Dioscorides called this product cinnabar. I find in old books
that the fruit of the calamus draconis on which the resin collects
along with scales (and this is the source of our present supply), when
stripped of its skin shows a design of a dragon. Lemery quoting from
“Monard and several other authors,” says, “When the skin is taken off
from this fruit there appears underneath the figure of a dragon as it
is represented by the painters, with wings expanded, a slender neck,
a hairy or bristle back, long tail, and feet armed with talons. They
pretend,” he adds, “that this figure gave the name to tree. But I
believe this circumstance fabulous because I never knew it confirmed by
any traveller.”
[Illustration: THE DRAGON TREE (_Dracona Draco_).
The tree illustrated above is at Teneriffe, and is, perhaps, the oldest
tree in the world. Humboldt, in 1799, found its trunk was forty-eight
feet in circumference.]
Very likely the shrewd Arabs invented the name dragon’s blood to please
their Chinese customers, and it may be therefore that the tree acquired
its name from the resin, not the resin from the tree.
Dragon’s blood was given in old pharmacy as a mild astringent, and was
one of the ingredients in the styptic pills of Helvetius. It was also
included in the formula for Locatelli’s balsam. Now it is chiefly used
as a varnish colouring, as for example in varnishes for violins. In
some parts of the country it has a reputation as a charm to restore
love. Maidens whose swains are unfaithful or neglectful procure a
piece, wrap it in paper, and throw it on the fire, saying:
May he no pleasure or profit see
Till he come back again to me.
[Cuthbert Bede in _Notes and Queries_.
Series 1., Vol. II., p. 242.]
Dragons are mentioned many times in the Authorised Version of the Old
Testament. In most of these instances jackals are substituted in the
Revised Version, and only once, I think, the alternative of crocodiles
is suggested in the margin, though in many instances it would obviously
be a better rendering, as has been pointed out by many scholars.