DCHP-2

castoreum † DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

• 1a n.

  See 1908 quote.

  See also: castor (def. 2a)  

  • 1685  (1931)  Castoreum is a proved remedy for ear-ache.
  • 1783  (1918)  Exports [included] . . . Castoreum 1106 lb.
  • 1908  The substance contained in two pyriform sacs situated near the organs of reproduction in the beaver, and commercially well-known as "castorum," has always been traded from the natives.
  • 1946  (1947)  "The only bottles I ever carry north are empty bottles," said Baldy solemnly, "for castoreum." He turned to me and explained that this was a panacea made by the Indians from two small glands under the beaver's tail.
  • 1966  Finally an attempt was made to catch male beaver by using the castoreum (a secretion contained in the scent glands) of the female, beaten up with green aspen buds. Surprisingly, this caught both males and females.

• 1b n.

  the secretion from the scent glands of the beaver used as a lure or as an ingredient in a lure.

  See also: beaver medicine  

  • 1797  (1916)  All of them were infatuated with the love of the Castorum of their own species, and more fond of it than we are of fire water [an Indian being reported].
  • 1834-43  (1955)  The trapper . . . sets his trap in the water near the bank . . . throws a handful of mud on the bank about one foot from it and puts a small portion of the castorum thereon. . . .
  • 1921  The bait used is made by rubbing beaver castorum on a bit of rabbit skin placed in a split stick. . . .
  • 1964  The exhaustion of the beaver fields was apparently hastened by the use of steel traps and the discovery of the use of castoreum as bait.

• 2 n.

  the scent sac or sacs of the beaver.

  See also: castor (def. 2b)  

  • 1743  (1949)  Beavers have three pair of stones, or bladders, as the Gendering stones, the Castorum, [which contains] the oyly Substance the Natives asses in trapping [,] Rubbing the baits with itt. . . .
  • 1907  On a twig 9 in. high and set back about a food from the trap he placed a small piece of castorum. The smell of this attracts a beaver.