1110
ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.
acid. In cases where the hydrocyanic acid is admissible (see p-the bitter almond may be used, as in the formula of the Dublin Do sThe dose of almond emulsion is f3j. or fjij., or ad libitum.
3. Oleum Amygdalae, L. Oleum Amygdalarum,T).; Aim 011 " 1 c
(Obtained by expression from bitter or sweet almonds).—The ax ®
produce of almond oil from bitter or sweet almonds is from 48 to
per cwt. (Private information ).—The physical and chemical pr°P e 0 f
of almond oil have been already described. Gingilie or Teal oil l 0 *,
the seeds of Sesamum orientale ) is, I am ' n ° n c0 ]d
occasionally substituted for almond oil. -d
it more readily deposits margarin than at
oil. .
. Sys‘-
Fig. 204.
an
Sesamum orientale.
Didynamia, Angiospermia) is a native of India . * . f r() n>annual, of about two feet high. The seeds are impor' 6 ^Calcutta under the name of teel seeds (till Hindooie)- ^ Jhare flat, cordate, and about the size of white mustard se f- s ]ie,Eastern countries they are used fordietetical purposes (- ,
Mat. Ind. ii. 255). By expression they yield a fixedgilie oil), which may be used as a substitute for almonu
Almond oil may be employed for the sarn e P' allposes as olive oil (see p. 927). Mixed wit ^equal volume of syrup of violets, or syrup °t r ^it is given to new-born infants as a laxative- e j,sometimes used with gum (in the form of mudalkalies, or yolk of egg, to form an emulsion, which is used in thecases as the mistura amygdala. To assist in allaying troublesome nit is not unfrequentlv administered in the form of linctus, with con eof dog-rose, syrup of poppies, &c.
II. Of Bitter Almonds. 1. Effects. ( a .) On Animals generdVH ^Bitter almonds are more or less poisonous to all classes of an i n1 , :^ra-in the cases of other poisonous vegetable substances, the larger her aare much less powerfully affected by them. Thus, three quartern^ apound of bitter almonds, given to a horse, caused merely dulnesj* j,small pulse (Viborg, quoted by Wibmer, Wirk. d. Arzneim. «• -'u e r157). One drachm of bitter almonds has killed some of ^®. S jy33)-animals, as pigeons (Wepfer, Hist. Cicut. aquat. p. 298, Lugd- ,j-] ieTwenty seeds have killed a small robust dog (Orfila, Toxicol. Gen) j s y,symptoms which they induce in animals, are, trembling, weakness, Pconvulsions (often of the tetanic kind), and, finally, coma. If' 011occur early, the animal in that way may escape. -tai 1 ^
(b.) On man.—In small doses bitter almonds sometimes act as i - D g.to the digestive organs, and occasion nausea, vomiting, and P u t j lC pi-Owing to idiosyncrasy, some individuals are remarkably affected y' l0 r?iOn the late Dr. Gregory they caused, “ first, sickness, generally * ^j ar iythen vomiting, next a hot fit, with an eruption of urticaria, p ar 1 j ie£L tlon the upper part of the body. At the same time the face a P jjofl-swelled very much, and there was a general feeling like mtox te lyThe symptoms lasted only a few hours. The rash did not alte^ ^geappear and disappear, as in common nettle-rash” (Christison). ien cc*’doses bitter almonds have caused serious, or even fatal conseq