Don, Trans, of Linnean Soc. vol. x. Nat. ord. Umbelliferae. Species. G. officinale. Officinal. Galbanum, Lond. Bubonis Galbani Gummi Resini, Edin. Dub. Galbanum Gum-resin.

Syn. Galbanum (F. & Dutch), Mutterharz (G.), Galbano (I.), Galbane (S.), Barzud (A.), Bireeja (H.), Beeznd (Pers.).

Mr. Don has lately advanced sufficient reasons for thinking that galbanum is the production of a plant allied to the genus Siler. He proposes to call it Galbanum officinale : it is a native of Persia, and belongs to the natural order Umbelliferae.

The gum-resin is brought to this country from the Levant,, in cases or chests, containing from one to three hundred weight each. The best is in ductile masses, composed of distinct whitish tears agglutinated together by a pale brown or yellowish substance. It is generally much mixed with stalks, seeds, and other impurities. The separate tears are considered to be the best part of the mass. When the colour is dark brown or blackish, it must be rejected as bad.

Qualities.-Galbanum has a strong peculiar odour, slightly resembling that of turpentine; and a bitterish, warm, acrid taste. Its specific gravity is 1.212.1 When triturated with water, about one fourth of its weight is dissolved, forming a milky solution; but after standing for a little time, four parts are again deposited, and what remains undissolved by the trituration is, exclusive of the impurities, almost completely soluble in alcohol. Wine and vinegar act on it nearly in the same manner as water. Alcohol takes up one fifth of its weight; and a yellow tincture is produced, which has the sensible qualities of the galbanum, and becomes milky on the addition of water; but there is no precipitate. Proof spirit acts slowly on it, and dissolves the whole, the impurities excepted. Sulphuric ether dissolves a considerable portion of galbanum, forming a bright golden-coloured tincture, which, when evaporated alone, or floating on the surface of water, leaves a yellow, tenacious resin, that retains in perfection the sensible qualities of the galbanum. The part insoluble in ether is nearly wholly soluble in water. Chlorine, added to the solutions of galbanum, throws down an insoluble matter which appears to be extractive.

By distillation the gum-resin "yields half its weight of volatile oil, which has at first a blue colour."1 From our experiments, galbanum appears to consist of resin, volatile oil, gum, and extractive.

1 Brisson.

Medical properties and uses.-Galbanum is stimulant, antispasmodic, expectorant, and deobstruent; and may be placed between ammoniacum and assafoetida. It has been found useful in hysteria, particularly when attendant on difficult menstruation; in chlorosis, humoral asthma, and chronic rheumatism. Externally it is applied as a resolvent and a stimulating suppurative to indolent tumours.

The dose is from grs. x. to 3 ss. in pills; or triturated with water and gum-arabic so as to form an emulsion.

Officinal preparations.-Pilulce Galbani camp. L. D. Pilulae Assafoetidae comp. E. Tinctura Galbani, D. Emplastrum Galbani, L. D. Emplastrum Assafoetidae, E. Emplastrwm gummosum, E.