Some authors are of opinion that sarcocolla325 is a tearlike gum which exudes from a kind of thorn;326 it is similar to powdered incense in appearance, has a sweet flavour with a slight degree of bitter, and is of the consistency of gum. Pounded in wine, it arrests defluxions, and is used as a topical application for infants more particularly. This substance too becomes black327 when old; the whiter it is, the more highly it is esteemed.