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SOCIAL
USES - 'RELIGIOUS' USES
Exudates, religion: Early authorities, such as Theophrastus, distinguished between
the different kinds of frankincense. All the early authors agreed that the best
frankincense was the "male" frankincense, and described this as being
white, round, whole, oily, and highly inflammable. It was this superior quality
gum that was used for burning in temples as offerings to the gods [1593]
Exudates, religion: Incense is employed particularly in the Roman Catholic and
the Greek Churches [1397]
Exudates, religion: The incense used in Roman Catholic cathedrals and churches
is about 66% frankincense, 27% benzoin (gum benjamin, the resin from Styrax benzoin
Dryand.) and 7% storax (a resin derived from sweetgum, Liquidambar orientalis
Miller) [1405]
Exudates, religion:
The very best gum - the "pearls" - fetched the highest price. These
were smooth, round white droplets of gum which had formed naturally on the trees,
exuding from the bark - they were considered to be particularly "strong" and
potent. The "pearls" or "beads" were kept in a separate container
to be used on special and important occasions. One such occasion was during examinations
at Qur'anic schools, in which children had to recite long passages of the Holy
Qur'an from memory. Two or three of the special beads would be left in water
with a piece of iron overnight, and drinking the resulting liquid first thing
in the morning was held to greatly improve their memory and consequent chances
of success [1354]
Exudates, ritual/religion: In many Arabic families, the use of luban (gum) is
now restricted to traditional festivities such as weddings and religious celebrations
[1368]
Exudates, ritual: In Dhofar, cone-shaped gum "candles" molded from
lumps of fresh, moist frankincense were burnt during the night providing minimal
light and keeping at bay the dangerous animals and malevolent spirits which roamed
the night. Gum would also be burned near the livestock caves; the smoke wafting
around the pens was believed to keep the animals safe from the dangers of the
night. Many herders would burn frankincense during milking to protect their animals
from evil influences [1354]
Exudates, ritual: In Dhofar, frankincense was burned during the ritual of swearing
an oath over the graves and shrines of revered men in a traditional ceremony
[1354]
Exudates, ritual: In Dhofar, frankincense was plentifully burned during wedding
ceremonies, but rarely at the scene of a death [1354]
Exudates, ritual: In Dhofar, the decision of a serious matter or the finalising
of a pact would often be solemnised by the burning of frankincense [1354]
Exudates, ritual: The ancient Egyptians used frankincense in ceremonial purification
and mortuary rituals.
Frankincense was kindled in clay troughs and the flame doused with cows' milk
and was thought to ward off evil and enemies' malevolence [1593]
NON-VERTEBRATE POISONS - ARTHROPODA
Other exudate parts, Culicidae (mosquitoes), Psychodidae (sand flies), repellent:
The fumes from burning frankincense repel mosquitoes and sand flies [2454]
MEDICINES - UNSPECIFIED MEDICINAL DISORDERS
Bark, humans, teas: In Dhofar, the astringent bark was dried and ground and taken
as a stimulating and cleansing infusion [1354]
Fruits, humans: In Dhofar, the dried hard "core" of the fruit is crushed
(a slow and laborious process) and used as a "very potent medicament" [1354]
Fruits, mammals: In Dhofar, the fruits were gathered to feed sickly stock (usually
goats), being considered to possess curative and stimulating properties exceeding
even those of the foliage [1354]
Gum, humans, fumigants: In Dhofar, smoking gum was wafted around those undergoing
a painful operation, such as circumcision [1354]
Gum, humans, mammals, prophylactic, palliative, fumigant: In Dhofar, the fumes
of the smouldering gum were considered to have powerful curative and protective
properties: a sick person or animal would be fumigated with frankincense by placing
a bowl of the smouldering gum at their head while relatives walked around them
carrying another smoking burner murmuring various invocations and incantations.
Since most serious or prolonged illness was considered to be the result of hostile
action on the part of someone or something, such processes were a regular feature
of most courses of treatment, and was also carried out prophylactically. Sometimes
the smoke was inhaled (see note under MEDICINES - INFECTIONS/INFESTATIONS, below)
[1354]
Gum, humans, oral ingestion: Made up into pills, the gum was used to treat the
spitting of blood [1593]
Gum, humans: It appears that the gum was used in China for various medicinal
purposes, and probably still is (1982) since China remains the main importer
of the gum [1095]
Gum, humans: The gum was used in the treatment of almost every imaginable disease
by Greek and Roman physicians, and remedies employing frankincense also appear
in the Syriac Book of Medicine, in the text of Muslim practitioners of the Middle
Ages, and in Indian and Chinese medical writings [1593]
MEDICINES - ABNORMALITIES
Bark, humans, skin, oedemas, ointments: The astringent bark was dried and powdered
and made up into a paste which was used by Dhofaris as a soothing ointment which
was rubbed over the entire body as a remedy for swelling (oedema) [1354]
MEDICINES - DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISORDERS
Debarked 'roots', humans, stomach: The inner white root of a young plant was
chewed for the sweet liquid it provided, as a treatment for various stomach ailments
[1593]
Exudates, humans, teeth, gums: Frankincense was chewed to strengthen teeth and
gums [1593]
Flower buds, fruit, humans, oral ingestion: The buds and fruit were appreciated
as an astringent mouthful by Dhofari herders and their families. They have a
taste reminiscent of the gum, and were considered to have a purifying effect
on the whole digestive system [1354]
Gum, humans, purgative: Said to be used in eastern Saudi Arabia. It is chewed
or added to coffee [1368]
Gum, humans, teeth, caries: Small fragments of gum were mixed with salt and inserted
into a painful or carious tooth [1354]
Gum, humans: In Dhofar, fresh gum was chewed to refresh the mouth, to strengthen
teeth and gums, and generally to cleanse the digestive system [1354]
Leaves, mammals, diarrhoea: Considered one of the best treatments for livestock
[1593]
Resin, humans, stomach, stomachic: In Tanzania, a decoction of the resin is made
with cinnamon and cardamom and taken to relieve stomach ache [1340]
MEDICINES - GENITOURINARY SYSTEM DISORDERS
Exudates, humans, kidney stones, oral ingestion: In traditional folk medicine
in Oman (Dhofar), stones were dispersed by taking a mixture of mare droppings,
frankincense and fermented honey (or, according to other sources, honey, wine,
frankincense and the urine of the patient!) [1593]
Exudates, humans, other genitourinary system effects, oral ingestion: In traditional
folk medicine in Oman (Dhofar), frankincense was mixed with wine and parts of
a hyena and the mixture drunk to restore or improve fertility [1593]
Gum, humans, diuretic: Said to be used in eastern Saudi Arabia. It is chewed
or added to coffee [1368]
Resin, humans, diuretic: The resin is a Swahili diuretic. It is used for the
same purpose in Tanzania [1340]
MEDICINES - INFECTIONS/INFESTATIONS
Gum, humans, eyes, infections: In Dhofar, the soot of the gum was used to make
eye antimony (or to stretch a small amount of the costly imported antimony).
This was worn to protect against infection and to improve the sight, to soothe
sore eyes, and for cosmetic purposes [1354]
Gum, humans, gonorrhea: In Somalia, the roots of Aspirin mossambicensis (Olive.)Wild.
are said to be boiled (half a kilo in 2 glasses of water) and 50 grams of Boswellia
gum (species not given) are added. One cup is taken three times a day for three
days in the treatment of gonorrhea [1408]
Gum, humans, respiratory system, colds: In Dhofar, the smoke of the smouldering
gum was inhaled by people suffering from a headcold. See also note under MEDICINES
- UNSPECIFIED MEDICINAL DISORDERS [1354]
Infructescences, humans, throat, infections: The buds and berries have been used
to cleanse infected throats [1593]
Other exudate parts, humans, malaria, prophylactic, fumigants: The fumes from
burning frankincense repel mosquitoes, partially protecting church congregations
and people in other places where it is burnt, in malarious areas [2454]
Resin, humans, schistosomiasis: In Tanzania, the resin is boiled in sesame oil
and taken daily for bilharzias [1340]
MEDICINES - INFLAMMATION
Exudates, humans, respiratory mucus: Frankincense was chewed to disperse phlegm
and mucus from the head [1593]
Gum, humans, breasts: In Dhofar, mastitis was treated with dry or fresh gum.
It was boiled in milk from the patient, forming a thick paste which could be
smeared over the affected part. Alternatively the gum was sometimes mixed with
ground cuttlefish bone and soured milk instead [1354]
Resin, inflammation: In an experimental test of the anti-inflammatory activities
of extracts from the resin (specifically the inhibition of the maximal edemas
response and the total oedema response during 6 hours of carrageen-induced rat-paw
oedema) extracts from the resin of B. sacra did not exhibit significant activity
[1367]
MEDICINES - INJURIES
Bark, humans, burns: In Dhofar, the bark was slowly singed beside a fire until
black, then powdered and the powder stored in a leather pouch as part of the
family medicine chest - the reconstituted powder was a widely-used dressing for
wounds and burns [1354]
Bark, humans, wounds: In Dhofar, fresh bark was also pounded and put into a small
quantity of water which, after being left to macerate, was squeezed through a
piece of fine cloth over dirty or infected wounds as an antiseptic [1354]
Gum, humans, wounds, external applications: The gum is dried, crushed and mixed
with myrrh and dried aloes' juice to make an antiseptic powder used on wounds
[1593]
Other exudate parts, humans, bites (non-venomous), prophylactic, fumigants: The
fumes from burning frankincense repel mosquitoes and sand flies, partially protecting
church congregations and people in other places where it is burnt [2454]
Other exudate parts, humans, haemostatic: Soot produced from burning frankincense
was valued as a haemostatic [1593]
MEDICINES - MENTAL DISORDERS
Exudates, humans, internal applications: Frankincense is described in the Taj
al Arus as being taken to dispel forgetfulness, and today it is still appreciated
for this purpose in Arabia [1593]
Gum, humans, amnesia: Said to be used in eastern Saudi Arabia. It is chewed or
added to coffee [1368]
MEDICINES - MUSCULAR-SKELETAL SYSTEM DISORDERS
Bark, gum, humans, bones, fractures: In Dhofar, the broken limb would be splinted
between two lengths of frankincense bark and then bandaged around with strips
of cloth or bark soaked in the fresh gum, which would set hard when dry and provided
a firm support for the mending bone [1354]
Exudates, humans, rheumatism: The oleo-gum-resin is used in India as a remedy
for rheumatism [1340]
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