1108

ELEMENTS OP MATERIA MEDICA.

The following table explains the composition of benzule and some of its comp 01 "'

is--

Benzule . C 14 H 5 O 2

Hvdruret of Benzule I ()il of Bitter Almonds.C 1 4 H® O 2 +

tlyaruret of Benzule ^ Benzoine . CD 4 H5 O 2 +

Oxide of Benzule (Benzoic acid) . C 1 4 H 5 O 2 +

Chloride of Benzule . CI 4 H 5 O 2 +

Bromide of Benzule . C 14 H 5 O 2 +

Iodide of Benzule . C 14 H 5 O 2 +

Sulphuret of Benzule . C 14 H5 O 2 +

Cyanide of Benzule . C 14 H 5 O 2 +

H.

H.

0 .

Chi-

Br-

Iod-

S.

c 2 >-

li.xinS

Benzo'ine, shown above to be isomeric with oil of bitter almonds, is obtained hvp 1 ^ ]toil of bitter almonds with caustic potash, and exposing for some weeks to the *0#is a crystalline substance, and has been called camphoride, or the camphor of on ° ( U jilyalmonds. The conversion of oil of bitter almonds into benzoic acid will beunderstood by reference to the above table. One equivalent of the oil, and t' v0 - v ; l ]eii t3lents of atmospheric oxygen, yield one equivalent of benzoic acid and two e 9 u . e ]y,of water. Chloride and bromide of benzule are obtained by the action, respecti.chlorine and bromine on oil of bitter almonds. Iodide, sulphuret , and cyanide of t ofare procured by the action of chloride of benzule on iodide of potassium, sulplead, and cyanide of mercury, respectively. atoI n <"

Benzamide , composed of C 14 HI N 1 O 2 (or benzoate of ammonia, minus anwater), is obtained by passing ammoniacal gas through chloride of benzule. B e t "°or bibenzamide, composed of C 28 H u DO O 4 (or bibenzoate of ammonia, ™ 1 ” ne( l b.Vatoms of water), was extracted by Laurent from a resinous substance, 0

E. Laugier, by distilling oil of bitter almonds. Both of these amides evolve a ?' ca us t ' cand are converted into benzoate of potash when boiled with a solution 0 1potash.

Physiological Effects, Uses, and Administration.—I- ^,- eI1 t;

Almonds. 1. Effects. —Sweet almonds are nutritive and em° e .but on account of the quantity of oil which they contain, they are ^what difficult of digestion, at least if taken in large quantities, g pjlpersons whose digestive powers are weak. When rancid they a , 0 pdmore apt to disorder the stomach. The husk or pellicle of thehas been known to occasion nausea, uneasiness in the stomac^bowels, increased heat, oedematous swelling of the face, foll° 4 ' gU f-urticaria. Dr. Winterbottom {Med. Facts and Observ. vol. v. p- on ds»fered twice in this way from the use of unblanched sweet a j s ionbut blanched almonds caused no inconvenience. Almond

agrees in many of its properties with animal milk. Thus it lS .' ( j s ofwhen examined by the microscope is seen to consist of ®v . 0ll soleaginous globules, suspended in water by the aid of an alb inprinciple (emulsin) and sugar; and, lastly, it agrees with 1 ° ’

possessing nutritive and emollient qualities. Almond oil P°f se ^ , eC pp-dietetical and medicinal qualities of olive and other fixed oils 1 , in

926-7). Thus its local action is emollient (see p. 82): swallb^^itmoderate doses it is nutritive, but difficult of digestion; in lctrf eoperates as a mild laxative. des® er ^

2. Uses. —For dietetical purposes, almonds are employed as afor puddings, cakes, &c. On account of the irritant qualities of oa gte^almonds for the table should always be blanched. Blanched an ^ pi.they have been used as a substitute for coffee (Murray, App- r eC tioih25). Medicinally they are used in the preparation of the con Jemulsion, and oil. ^ . C° n ‘

1. Confectio Amygdala, L. Conserva Amygdalarurn, &•’