A Dictionary of Arts: Dragon's Blood.

A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines; containing A Clear Exposition of Their Principles and Practice

by Andrew Ure, M. D.;
F. R. S. M. G. S. Lond.: M. Acad. M. S. Philad.; S. PH. DOC. N. GERM. Ranow.; Mulh. Etc. Etc.

Illustrated with nearly fifteen hundred engravings on wood
Eleventh American, From The Last London Edition.
To which is appended, a Supplement of Recent Improvements to The Present Time.

New York: D Appleton & company, 200 Broadway. Philadelphia: George S. Appleton, 148 Chestnut St.
MDCCCXLVII

1847

DRAGON'S BLOOD (Sang Dragon, Fr.; Drachenblut, Germ.) is a resinous substance, which comes to us sometimes in small balls of the size of a pigeon's egg, sometimes in rods, like the finger, and sometimes in irregular cakes. Its color, in lump, is dark brown red; in powder, bright red; friable; of a shining fracture, sp. grav. 1-196. It contains a little benzoic acid, is insoluble in water, but dissolves readily in alcohol, ether, and oils. It is brought from the East Indies, Africa, South America, as the produce of several trees, the Dracæna Draco, The Pterocarpus Santalinus, the Pterocarpus Draco, and the Calamus Rotang.

Dragon's blood is used chiefly for tingeing spirit and turpentine varnishes, for preparing gold lacker, for tooth tinctures and powders, for staining marble, &c. According to Herbenger, it consists of 9.07 parts of red resin, 2 of fat oil, 3 of benzoic acid, 1.6 of oxalate, and 3.7 of phosphate of lime.