724 ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

perries of this oil have been already noticed. It is, perhaps, theform for exhibiting juniper. The dose is two to six drops, either in 1form of pill, or diffused through water by the aid of sugar and mucila^2. Spiritus Juniperi compositus,L. E. D.—(Jumper berries, bruise ’3xv. [lb. j. E. Z>.]; Caraway, bruised; Fennel bruised, of each, ■’ll'“■ [Siss. E. D.] ; Proof Spirit, Cong.j. [Ovij. E.\ ; Water, Oij. [as ranch amay be convenient, D. ] Mix; then, with a slow fire, let a gallon distil) ^The Edinburgh and Dublin Colleges order the fruit to be maceratedthe spirit [for two days, E. ; for twenty-four hours, D.], the water nj.added, and [seven pints, E., a gallon, D. of] the spirit distilled). ■*-preparation, when sweetened, may be regarded as an officinal substnfor genuine Hollands and English -Gin, both of which compoundsflavoured with juniper. It is used as an adjunct to diuretic mixtur -The dose is f 3 ij. to f-iv.

Junip'erus Sabina, Linn. L. E. D.— Common Savin.

Sex. Syst. Dioecia, Monadelphia.

(Cacumina recentia et exsiccata, L. Tops, E. Folia, D.)

10 )),,Both d' 1 *

History. — This is the fip&Qvt of Dioscorides (lib. i. cay).sabina of Pliny , {Hist. Nat. lib. xxiv. cap. 61, ed. Valp.)writers notice the two varieties of this plant.

Botany. Gen. Char. —Yide Juniperus communis. , u -

Sp. Char. — Leaves ovate, convex, densely imbricated, erect, derent, opposite ; the oppositions pyxidate ( Bot. Gall.) a ]l,

A small, bushy shrub. Branches closely inverted by the very S1 ^glandular leaves. Galbulus round, purple, somewhat smaller thanof Juniperus communis .

Two varieties are distinguished (Nees and Eberra. Handb.): —a. J. Sabina cupressina.—Leaves acute, more spreading, three lines long-0. J. Sabina tamariscifolia. — Leaves shorter, almost appressed and obtu se ‘ ^

Hab .— Midland and southern parts of Europe ; Asiatic Russia -tivated in gardens in this country. Flowers in April. - 0 ;

Description. — The officinal parts of the plant are the tops ( cac « ^j jC Jsummitates ), which consist of the young branches with their at ^ g,leaves. They have in the fresh state {cacumina recentia) a str ° n .'] 1 ’ 0 ii5)culiar, heavy odour, especially when rubbed ; and a nauseous, r .f s | rre ei>>bitter taste. The dried tops {cacumina exsiccata) are yellowish*!*and less odorous than the fresh ones. . ^- e rC

^ Composition. —Some experiments on the composition of saVin ,jysi s^*made by Berlisky {Trommsdorfs Journ. viii. 1.94). In 1837 anof this plant was made by a young chemist of the name of Gardes {de Chim. Med. t. iii. p. 331, 2 ndc Ser). The constituents areResin, Gallic acid, Chlorophyll e > Extractive, Lignin , and Salts of L

tb

Oil of Savin (Oleum Sabinrn ) is obtained by submitting the fresh tops to distil ^ fl f tl>water. It is a limpid, almost colourless liquid, having the unpleasant 01 H . (r0 u= 10plant, and a bitter, acrid taste. Its sp. gr. is 0 915. Its composition is ana »that of oil of turpentine, being Cio Hs.

Chemical Characteristics. —An aqueous infusion of savinlowish, lips the odour and bitter taste of the herb, and forms a .^jj 0 id cgreen compound {gallate ? of iron) on the addition of sesqui