240 A COMPENDIUM OF 
gent and given in form of an infusion, the dose 
of which was 1 or 2 fluid ounces. The name is 
supposed to be derived from the Greek words 
dis or diss, Jupiter, and pyros, fruit. 
Feeniculum, Fennel, Foeniculum Vulgare.— 
Natural order Umbelliferee Orthospermze. This 
plant isannual as toits stem and biennial and pe- 
rennial as to its root, and according to the soil 
grows from a few inches to as many as 48 inches 
inheight. Itis a native of southern. Europe 
and the Levant. The plant is adorned with 
long green striated leaflets, and ornamented 
with golden-yellow flowers, arranged in umbels; 
each flower has 5 stamens and 2 pistils. The 
fruit (Fructus Foeniculi) is oblong, nearly cyl- 
indrical in shape, and from one-tenth to one- 
sixth of an inch long, made up of 2 mericarps, 
each containing a small seed, somewhat canoe- 
shaped. The fruit presents under a glass of 
fair magnifying power, 5 ridges or ribs, and 
shows 4 minute tubes in which the oil is secreted. 
Fennel has an aromatic odor and a sweet aro- 
matic taste, and contains swgar, gum, resin and 
both fixed and volatile oils; the first oil said to 
predominate, and when combined, has a spe- 
Cific gravity of o. 97, congealing at a tempera- 
ture of 50 degrees F. (10. ). The oil contains 
a substance called anethol, which exists both as 
aliquid and solid, the latter in the form of cam- 
phor. Fennel has been used as a remedy from 
the Temotest periods, for its stimulating, stom- 
achic, carminative and galactagogue proper- 
ties. The dose of the powdered fruit is from 
20 to 30 grains, usually given in form of anin- 
fusion. The officinal preparation is the Aqua 
