Castoreum

Castoreum, a soft brown substance, of peculiar smell and taste, secreted by two pear-shaped glands, associated, but quite distinct from, the reproductive organs in both sexes of beaver. It is now used chiefly by perfumers, but was from the time of Hippocrates regarded as having a specific influence on the uterus, and esteemed as a soothing medicine in hysteria, catalepsy, cramp, and other spasmodic diseases. In commerce it appears in the two glandular sacs as removed from the animal. In Hudson Bay trade, ten pairs of glands used to be equal in value to one skin, and Russian castoreum was yet more valuable. See BEAVER.