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BENZOIN

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Originally appearing in Volume V03, Page 757 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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BENZOIN , or See also:

Gum See also:BENJAMIN (supposed to be from Arab. luban, See also:frankincense, the first syllable being dropped in Romanic as if it were the See also:article), a balsamic See also:resin obtained from Styrax benzoin, a See also:tree of considerable See also:size, native to See also:Sumatra and See also:Java, and from other See also:species of Styrax. It is obtained by making incisions in the bark of the trees, and appears to be formed as the result of the See also:wound, not to be secreted normally. There are several varieties of benzoin in See also:commerce: (1) See also:Siam benzoin, which apparently does not come from Styrax benzoin, is the finest and most aromatic, and occurs in the See also:form of small " tears, " rarely exceeding 2 in. in length by 1 in. in thickness, and of " blocks " made up of these tears agglomerated by a clear reddish-See also:brown resin. The odour of Siam benzoin is partly due to the presence of vanillin, and the substance contains as much as 38 % of benzoic See also:acid but no cinnamic acid. (2) Sumatra benzoin occurs only in masses formed of dull red resin enclosing See also:white tears. It contains about 20 % of cinnamic acid in addition to 18 or even more of benzoic. (3) Palembang benzoin, an inferior variety, said to be obtained from Styrax benzoin in Sumatra, consists of greyish translucent resinous masses, containing small white opaque tears. It does not appear to contain cinnamic acid. Large quantities of benzoin are used as See also:incense. Its medicinal uses depend on the contained benzoic acid (q.v.).

End of Article: BENZOIN

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