BALSAMS, mixtures of resins in volatile oils, the term, however, being popularly ap plied to any aromatic compound with volatile oils. Balsams are very widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. They are par ticularly abundant in the members of the pine family. The araucarias yield a copal that. is almost a pure resin; many species of pine yield turpentine and resin; Canada balsam. is derived from Abies balsamea; the balsam-like sandarach is from a cypress. The Hamamelis family gives balsam of styrax and balsam of copaiba is derived from a large number of the legumes and from the Dipterocarpece. Styrax benzoin is from the Storax family. The resins and balsams of commerce are very closely allied. They may be divided into three groups: gum resins, such as asafcetida and ammonia cum; balsams, and resins, such as turpenttne, resin, copaiba, mastic, demi, copal, dammar and sandarach; and the balsams and resins that contain cinnamic or benzoic acids, from which they derive their aromatic odor. It is to this latter group that the word balsam is popularly applied. These are balsam of tolu, balsam of Peru, storax benzoin, dragon's-blood and xanthorrhea resin.
These various bodies are for the most part secrete.d in special passages in the plants. Sometimes they are formed in the leaves, but for the most part the resinous solution collects in specially designed portions of the stem, usually in the woody portion. It is obtained in
a variety- of ways from simple incision to boil ing chips of the wood with water.
In medicine most of these bodies are active. They are energetic oxidizers,— hence the tradi tions about ozone and pure air in pine-clad hills, —and several.of the hydrocarbons in the vola tile oils are stimulating to the slcin and mucous membranes, turpentine being an excellent exam ple. It is an excellent external antiseptic, and manifests similar properties on the respiratory, intestinal and gemto-urinary tracts. Those resinous or balsamic mixtures containing cin namic and benzoic acids —notably balsam of tolu (from Toluifera pereira.) and balsam of Peru (from Toluifera balsamum) possess similar antiseptic and stimulating properties. They are more powerful in proportion to the aromatic acids contained. Balsam of storax is derived from a tree, Liguidambar styraciflua. It has similar properties to the balsam of Peru.
The chrism (see SACRAMENTS) used for consecration and sacramental services should be made of balsam from Syria or Mecca; when this is difficult to obtain, balsams from Brazil or Peru are used.