1102

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

Buchanan (Ed. Med. and Surg. Journ. vol. iii. 22), Mr. BretonChir. Trans, vol. xi. p. 301), Gomes {Journ. Complem. des Scienc. aFxvi. 24), Deslandes, and others (Bayle, Bibl. de Therap. i- . ^but in this country it has been almost entirely superseded by 01 .

turpentine. The rind of the fruit has been employed, on ace° u ^of its astringency, in the form of decoction, as a gargle, in relaxed s Ithroat; as an injection, in leucorrhcea; and, internally, in diarrhoea, .. |

sentery, and colliquative sweats. The powder of the rind may be ad®^nistered as a tonic. The flowers are mild astringents, but are not e ^ployed in this country. The fruit may be eaten to allay thirst, aio aa refreshing refrigerant and astringent in febrile disorders, espe® ,- gthose called bilious. It contains an acidulous styptic juice, whichinclosed in a thin vesicle surrounding the seeds. .

Administration.— The root-bark is given in decoction. This is P,pared by boiling 3ij. of the fresh bruised bark in Oij. of water to Q)dose is a wine-glassful every half hour till the whole is takenusually occasions slight sickness, but seldom fails to destroy the w- ^

The patient should be prepared for the remedy by the use of a dosecastor oil and a strict regimen the day previously. The rind of the tvmay be given, as an astringent and tonic, in doses of jss. to 5j.

theItvon®

Order 57. Rosacea, Jussieu .— The Rose Tribe.

Essential Character.— Calyx generally of five sepals, cohering at the base totube; therefore five-lobed, generally persistent, usually free, sometimes adherethe ovary. Petals as many as the sepals, rarely bv abortion none, inserted oncalyx, quincuncial in aestivation, generally regular, Stamens inserted witpetals, mostly indefinite; filaments incurved in aestivation ; anthers two ce ^dehiscing by a double chink. Carpels numerous, either solitary by abortm®having the appearance of a single ovary, from their union, either together orthe tube of the calyx. Ovaries one-celled ; styles simple, dilated at the a Pf. X t ;„ct,stigmas of variable shape, usually arising from the side of the ovary, either o ls rollS ;

or, more rarely, coherent. Seeds in each carpel usually oneerect or inverse, exalbuminous (Hirtella and Neillia excc

lIJC t> v tti j } v ...jj, ,

or two, seldom nume^t.

alteru ate ’

excepted). Embryo straig

cotyledons either foliaceous or fleshy.— Herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leavesbistipulate at the base, simple or compound. Inflorescence various (D. C.) j a ]]yProperties. —The prevailing quality of Rosacea; is astringency. This is es P*g e0 usobvious in the root. The tribe Amygdaleae is distinguished from other r ' ,s '* vaI) ieplants by the poisonous properties of the kernels and leaves, which yield hyd r0 Jacid when distilled with water, and by the gummy exudation from the stems.

Tribe I. — Amygdaleae.

Amyg'dalus communis , Linn. L. E. D.— Common Almond.

Sex. Si/st. Icosandria, Monogynia.

( Var. a. Nuclei. Amygdala amara. Var. 0. Nuclei. Amygdala dulcis. Oleum ab alterutriusque ““ cle j ;expressum, L.—Var. a. Kernel; Bitter almond. Var. 0 and 7. Kernel; Sweet almond, E.Amygdalae amara;. Amygdalae dulces, D.)

History. —Almonds were well known to the ancients. They aretioned in the earliest part of the Old Testament ( Genesis , xliR- ^Hippocrates employed both sweet and bitter almonds, and theirpressed oil, in medicine {Opera, pp. 484, 069, and 413). Dioscon(lib. i. cap. 39) describes the mode of expressing the oil. ug)

Botany. Gen. Char. — Drupe pubescent, velvety; with a oJ .juiceless cortex, which falls off irregularly; putarnen (shell) P ltte ,jj a tsmooth. Young leaves folded flat (conduplicate). Flowers som e "