230 A COMPENDIUM OF 
and more pointed than those previously men- 
tioned, Cardamom is aromatic, tonic, and 
stimulating in its effects, and forms a part or 
whole of the following officinal preparations: 
COMP. EXTRACT COLOCYNTH, AROMATIC POWDER, 
TINCTURE, COMP. TINCTURE GENTIAN COMP., TINC- 
TURE RHUBARB, and the WINE OF ALoEs. Origin 
of the name is obscure. 
Carum, Caraway, Carum Carui.—Natural 
order Umbelliferze Orthosperme. Said to be a 
native of Asia, but now found and cultivated in 
most of the sub-tropical countries. This bien- 
nial plant rises to a height of 24 inches, much 
branched, and ornamented with double pinnate 
leaves, which are deeply cut, linear and acutely 
pointed. Flowers white, small and arranged in 
umbels. Each flowerhas 5 stamens and 2 pistils. 
Fruit (Fructus Carui) oblong in shape, laterally 
compressed and about 4 of an inch (4 milli- 
meters) long, of a greenish-brown color and, 
like the rest of the order, with two mericarps 
and five ridges or prominences, forming the oil 
tubes, and two seeds. The Caraway has an 
agreeable, aromatic odor and taste, and like 
most fruits in this order, contains two oils, a 
fixed and volatile, also resin, gum and some 
tannin. The Caraway is a pleasant, aromatic 
carminative. The British Pharmacopzia re- 
commends a water and the oil. The oil and 
fruit are ingredients in the following compounds: 
PULVIS OPII COMPOUND; TINCTURE CARDAMON COM- 
POUND. The name is derived from the town of 
Caria, in Asia Minor, corrupted into the Italian 
Carri and Anglicised into Caraway. 
