i A COMPENDIUM OF 
when coarsely ground form the oatmeal of 
commerce. Oats contain a larger proportion 
of gluten than the other cereals in use. 
The constituents are 56 per cent. of starch and 
15 per cent. of gluten; also some Lum, sugar, 
Jat, avenin, salts, water and lignin. 'Theuse of 
the ground oats is too well known as an article of 
diet to further mention, but adecoction or gruel 
is recommended in fever, etc. The tincture and 
fluid extract of Oats has been recently intro- 
duced as a remedy in nervous disorders, and 
highly endorsed by the medical profession. The 
name is of Latin origin. Some writers are 
doubtful as to the etymology of the word. 
Amygdalz, Almond, Amygdalus Communis. 
—Natural order Amygdalaceze or Rosacec. 
These are divided into two varieties, the Amyg- 
dala Amara (bitter) and the Amygdale Dulcis 
(sweet). As far as the tree is concerned there 
1S no perceptible difference in the bearers of 
the two dissimilar fruits, and neither do the 
seeds vary much in Size; asa rule the bitter 
Almond seed is a little smaller. 
The Almond tree is small and rarely attains a 
greater height than 20 feet, and is said to be a 
native of Asia, and now cultivated in the coun- 
tries lying along the borders of the Mediterra- 
nean sea. The tree is adorned with lance- 
shaped leaves having long petioles, their mar- 
gins serrated; ornamented with white and rose- 
colored flowers, the corolla is quite large; petals 
longer than the calyx. ‘The stamens number ro, 
and surround the pistil. The fruit is a drupe, 
and consists of a smooth thin and tough outer 
coat, marked by a fissure, which opens when 
