304 UMBELLIFERyE. 



■ 



Thymol is more conveniently and completely extracted from tlie 

 oil by shaking it repeatedly with caustic lye, and neutralizing the 

 latter. 



The oil of ajowan, from which the thymol has been removed, boils 

 at about 172", and contains cymene (or cymol), C^"E}^, which, with con- 

 centrated sulphuiic acid, affords cyraen-sulphonic acid, C^"ff^SO"OH. 

 The latter is not ver}' readily crystallizable, but forms crystallized salts 

 with baryum, calcium, zinc, lead, which are abundantly soluble in water. 

 In the oil of ajowan no constituent of the formula C'li^*^ appears to be 

 present ; mixed with alcohol and nitric acid (see p. 279) it at least pro- 

 duces no crystals of terpin. 



'^he residual portions of the oil, from which the cymene has been 

 distilled, contains another substance of the phenol class difierent from 

 thymol. 



We have found that neither the thymol nor the liquid part of 

 ajowan oil possesses any rotatory power. 



Uses — Ajowan is much used by the natives of India as a condi- 

 nlfent.^ The distilled water which has been introduced into the P]iam('- 

 copceia of India, is reputed to be carminative, and a good vehicle m 

 nauseous medicines. It has a powerful burning taste, and would seem 

 to require dilution. The volatile oil may be used in the place of oilol 

 thyme, which it closely resembles. , 



Ajowan seeds are largely imported into Europe since thymol nai 

 been universally introduced into medical practice (see Folia Thyj^V' 

 They have proved much more remunerative for the manufacture o^ 

 thymol than Thymus vulgaris. The largest quantities, we believe, 

 thymol have been made from ajowan at Leipzig. 



Substitutes—Under the name Sevien Ammi, the very small frmts 

 of Ammi majus L. and of Sison Amomuvi L. have been often c^^ 

 founded with those of Ajowan ; but the absence of hairs on the i 

 former, not to mention some other differences, is sufKcient to nega 

 any supposition of identity. ., - r ,j. 



The seeds of Ilyoscijamus niger L. being called inIndiaA/iom^«^^^ 

 ajwmi, a confusion might arise between them and true ajowan ; tn o 

 the slightest examination would suffice to show the difference. 



of 



FRUCTUS CARUI. 



Semen C 



kind vel Carvi ; Caraway Fruits, Caraway Seeds, 

 E. Fruits ou Seviences de Carvi; G. Kilnimel 



Botanical O 



ial 



'um Carvi 



plant not unlike a carrot, grow 



over the northern and midland parts of Europe and Asia, bnt 

 extent truly wild cannot be always ascertained. -i^is It 



It is much cultivated in Iceland, and is also apparently J ■ ^^^ 

 grows throughout Scandinavia, in Finland, Arctic, Oenirc , 



used ii. fo'Hl <^ 



Roxburgh, Flor. Iml. ii. (1832) 91. the seeds of henbane are ^use 



2 To such a mistake may probably be re- carminative and stimulant • .^^^_ ^^c 

 ferred the statement of Irvine [Account of =« Babington in Journ. oj 



Bot. xi. (1871) 310. 



