Here be some 800 year old avise:
Balm could be interchangeable with Mummy in this circumstance
Also beside Cairo, without that city, is the field where
balm groweth ; and it cometh out on small trees, that be none
higher than to a man's breeks' girdle, and they seem as
wood that is of the wild vine. And in that field be seven
wells, that our Lord Jesu Christ made with one of his feet,
when he went to play with other children. That field is
not so well closed, but that men may enter at their own
list ; but in that season that the balm is growing, men put
thereto good keeping, that no man dare be hardy to enter.
This balm groweth in no place, but only there. And
though that men bring of the plants, for to plant in other
countries, they grow well and fair ; but they bring forth
no fructuous thing, and the leaves of balm fall not. And
men cut the branches with a sharp flintstone, or with a
sharp bone, when men will go to cut them ; for whoso
cut them with iron, it would destroy his virtue and his
nature.
And the Saracens clepe the wood Enonch-balse, and the
fruit, the which is as cubebs, they clepe Abebissam, and the
liquor that droppeth from the branches they clepe Guybalse.
And men make always that balm to be tilled of the Christian
men, or else it would not fructify; as the Saracens say
themselves, for it hath been often-time proved. Men say
also, that the balm groweth in Ind the more, in that desert
where Alexander spake to the trees of the sun and of
the moon, but I have not seen it ; for I have not been so
far above upward, because that there be too many perilous
passages.
And wit ye well, that a man ought to take good keep
for to buy balm,
but if he con know it right well, for he
may right lightly be deceived. For men sell a gum, that
men clepe turpentine, instead of balm, and they put thereto
a little balm for to give good odour. And some put wax in
oil of the wood of the fruit of balm, and say that it is balm.
And some distil cloves of gilofre and of spikenard of Spain
and of other spices, that be well smelling ; and the liquor
that goeth out thereof they clepe it balm, and they think
that they have balm, and they have none. For the Saracens
counterfeit it by subtlety of craft for to deceive the Christian
men, as I have seen full many a time ; and after them the
merchants and the apothecaries counterfeit it eft sones,
and then it is less worth, and a great deal worse.
But if it like you, I shall shew how ye shall know and
prove, to the end that ye shall not be deceived. First ye
shall well know, that the natural balm is full clear, and of
citron colour and strongly smelling ; and if it be thick, or
red or black, it is sophisticate, that is to say, counterfeited
and made like it for deceit. And understand, that if ye
will put a little balm in the palm of your hand against the
sun, if it be fine and good, ye ne shall not suffer your hand
against the heat of the sun. Also take a little balm with
the point of a knife, and touch it to the fire, and if it burn
it is a good sign. After take also a drop of balm, and put
it into a dish, or in a cup with milk of a goat, and if it be
natural balm anon it will take and beclippe the milk. Or put
a drop of balm in clear water in a cup of silver or in a clear
basin, and stir it well with the clear water ; and if the balm
be fine and of his own kind, the water shall never trouble;
and if the balm be sophisticate, that is to say counter-
feited, the water shall become anon trouble ; and also if
the balm be fine it shall fall to the bottom of the vessel, as
though it were quicksilver, for the fine balm is more heavy
twice than is the balm that is sophisticate and counter-
feited. Now I have spoken of balm.
" John Manderville
That is what I was kind of trying to do, apologies if you felt that I singled you out for criticism.
I mean that is one of the 'techniques' I think was used in making some of the small 'mummies'.