Musk is a precious Chinese medicine. According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica", it has functions such as clearing the orifices, opening the meridians, and penetrating the skin and bones. It is mainly used to treat symptoms such as stroke-induced phlegm stagnation, loss of consciousness, sudden abdominal pain, malignant ulcers, and traumatic injuries. Musk has a wide range of applications but scarce resources, so some unscrupulous individuals deceive consumers by selling fake musk. It is not difficult to identify the authenticity of musk, and there are several main methods:
Visual inspection: Genuine musk powder is brownish or yellowish-brown, with occasional square prism or irregular crystals in the lumps. There are no sharp angles, and circular oil droplets can be seen. Sometimes, hairs and endometrial tissue can also be seen.
Taste test: Take a small amount of musk and taste it. Genuine musk has a tingling sensation on the tongue and a cool taste that reaches the root of the tongue. The taste is pure and without any foul or fishy smell.
Smell test: Genuine musk has a unique fragrance that lasts a long time. If there is no strong and lingering fragrance, or if there is a fishy or foul odor, it is a fake.
Texture test: Genuine musk is slightly soft and elastic. After kneading it with your hands and mixing it with a small amount of water, if it does not lose color, stain or stick to your hands, and does not form clumps, it is genuine. On the other hand, if it can be moistened and kneaded into a lump in the palm of your hand, and if it easily disperses and does not stick to your hands or form clumps when lightly rubbed with your fingers, it is genuine.
Burning test: Take a small amount of musk and place it on aluminum foil, heat it over a fire, and you will see a slight phosphorus-like flame, followed by a straight blue smoke column rising. Genuine musk will jump, wriggle, burst, or make a crackling sound when burned. If it forms oil bubbles as soon as it is burned and there is no fragrance, it is a fake.
Water test: Put a small amount of musk into boiling water. If it rotates rapidly and gradually boils and dissolves, it is genuine. If it floats on the water surface or sinks to the bottom without moving or dissolving, it is a fake.
