Agallochum

/əˌɡæˈloʊkəm/ noun

Definition

A Latinized form of agalloch, used in medieval and Renaissance texts to refer to agarwood or aloeswood.

Etymology

Latin form of 'agalloch' with the '-um' neuter singular ending. This appears in medieval pharmacological texts and alchemical manuscripts when Latin was the language of scholarship.

Kelly Says

Medieval apothecaries listed agallochum as both a luxury perfume and a medicinal substance believed to have healing properties — it was literally prescribed by doctors as medicine! Modern science hasn't found the medicinal claims to be accurate, but the aromatic experience is genuinely therapeutic.

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