Canada balsam
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Related to Canada balsam: Nicol prism
Can·a·da bal·sam
a yellowish liquid resin from the balsam fir, Abies balsamea (family Pinaceae); contains kinene and bornyl acetate; used for mounting histologic specimens and as a cement for lenses.
Synonym(s): Canada turpentine
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Canada balsam
a commonly used microscope slide mounting material for biological specimens. It is miscible with xylene.Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005
Canada balsam
A transparent resinous substance produced by the sap of the Canadian balsam fir and used to cement glass (doublet, beam-splitting prisms, the segment of a bifocal lens, etc). Its index of refraction is equal to about 1.54. It has nowadays been superseded by modern chemical adhesives.
Millodot: Dictionary of Optometry and Visual Science, 7th edition. © 2009 Butterworth-Heinemann