Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: incense

  • Frankincense and myrrh: Medicinal resin worth more than gold

    Mariel TishmaChicago, Illinois, United States Boswellia and Commiphora trees are scraggly, sharp, and unfriendly. Growing close to the ground in the arid desert, they have short trunks and fanning branches, sometimes looking more like shrubs than trees. But despite their unlikely appearance, they once served as the cornerstone of an ancient trade.1 When cut or…