696

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

(malate ?) combined with a colouring matter 2'5, fecula 3'0, nitrogenOUmucilage with phosphate of lime 1'8, yellow colouring matter 0 - 4, 311woody fibre 77'3.

1. Volatile or Essential Oil of Cardamom .—Is obtained from the seeds by distill 111 ?

them with water. 5(i lbs. of good short Malabar cardamoms yielded, at one opera 110 ’about f5viss. of oil for every lb. of fruit (Private Information). It is colourless, 1an agreeable odour, and a strong, aromatic, burning taste. Its sp. gr. is 0 '

It is very soluble in alcohol, ether, oils (both fixed and volatile), and acetic acid. ^is insoluble in potash-ley. By keeping, it becomes yellow, viscid, and loses its l 1 .^culiar taste and smell. It then detonates with iodine, and takes fire when placedcontact with concentrated nitric acid. On this oil depends the odour, flavour, 3aromatic qualities of the seeds. Its composition is analogous to that of oil of turp eutine, being C 10 H 8 . n( j

2. Fixed Oil of Cardamom .—Is soluble in alcohol, ether, and the oils, both fixed 3volatile. Nitric acid, assisted by heat, reddens it. It has some analogy to castor on-

C ij

Physiological Effects. —The effects of cardamoms are those oivery agreeable and grateful aromatic, devoid of all acridity. (See tueffects of the Aromata , p. 72.)

Uses. —Cardamoms are employed partly on account of their flavou >and partly for their cordial and stimulant properties. They are rareadministered alone, but generally either as adjuvants or correctivesother medicines, especially of stimulants, tonics, and purgatives. .

Administration. —Though cardamoms enter into a considerabnumber of pharmaceutical compounds, only two preparations del' 1 'their names from these seeds. They are the following:—

1. Tinctura Cari> amomi, L. E.—(Cardamom seeds, bruised, SffjfV[*ivss. Ed.]-, Proof Spirit, Oij. Macerate for fourteen [seven, E 'days, and strain. “ This tincture may be better prepared by the

of percolation, in the same way with the tincture of capsicum, the seebeing first ground in a coffee-mill,” Ed.) This compound is agreeae^aromatic. It is used as an adjunct to cordial, tonic, and purgati'mixtures. Dose, f5j. to f'sij. ,

2. Tinctura Cardamomi composita, L. E. D.—(Cardamom see< ’bruised; Carraway seeds, braised, of each 5ijss. [5ij.II.]; Cochm ea ’powdered, 5 ].; Cinnamon , bruised, 5v. [3ss. D.\ ; llaisins [stoned,] 3' .Proof Spirit, Oij. Macerate for fourteen [seven, Ed.] days, and m , 0“ This tincture may also be prepared by the method of percolation, h ^solid materials be first beat together, moistened with a little spirit a l eleft thus for twelve hours before being put into the percolator,” Ed- - 1 jDublin College omits the cochineal and raisins.) This tincture is U . S JJ>for the same purposes and the same doses as the fonner prep arall ° e( ]over which it has the advantage of a more agreeable flavour. More 0 ' ’its colour often renders it useful in prescribing.

Eletta'ria Cardamo'mum Zeylariieum, Pereira.— The Ceylon Eletta'r 10, •

Elettaria major, Smith.

(Fructus : Ceylon Cardamom, Offic.)

History. —This cardamom was known to Clusius ( Exot. p. 197)> 1is mentioned by most subsequent pharmacologists. r j, a t

Botany . —Hie plant has not yet been described ; and it is son 11 '''doubtful whether it be a variety of, or a species distinct from, ^ , ctfr

Cardamomum, Maton. From an examination of the fruits of commerceJ. E. Smith [Rees’ Cyclop, vol. xxxix.) was satisfied that it w r as a sp°

71.