PHARMACOPCEIAL VEGETABLE DRUGS. 
erences to the Almond, and its name threads the stories of the Arabian 
Nights (25 and 88). It was mentioned with groceries and spices a 
thousand years ago, in a charter granted the monastery of Corbie, in 
Normandy, by Chilperic II, king of France (A. D. 539-584). Charle- 
magne, A. D. 812, wisely ordered the Almond tree introduced on the 
imperial farms. Almonds became an important item of Venetian trade 
in the fourteenth century. In 1411, the Knight Templars of Cyprus 
(Flickiger) taxed almonds, honey, and sesame seed. Medieval 
cookery consumed almonds in enormous quantities, and as a nourish- 
ing food in the form of an emulsion the fruit crept into domestic 
medicine, and thence into professional use. 
_ANISUM 
This drug, Pimpinella anisum, is among the oldest known medi- 
cines and spices. Theophrastus (633) and later writers, such as Dios- 
corides (194), Pliny (514), and Edrisi (221), mention it. Charle- 
magne commanded that it be cultivated on the imperial farms in Ger- 
many. Its ancient source was the island of Crete, and Egypt. It was 
one of the drugs enumerated by Edward I (1305), to be taxed when 
carried across the Bridge of London. Anise is mentioned in the ex- 
penses of King John of France (A. D. 1319-1364) during his abode 
in England. The Grocers’ Company of London had its oversight 
(1453). The Royal Wardrobe of Edward IV (A. D. 1480) was per- 
fumed thereby. It was used in England as a pot herb prior to 1542, 
and during the reign of Charlemagne it was enormously taxed. 
‘Throughout all this period anise was employed both as a spice and as 
a domestic medicine. 
ANTHEMIS 
Anthemis nobilis has been cultivated for centuries in English 
gardens and used in domestic medicine from the beginning of the rec- 
ords. It was introduced into Germany from Spain about the close of 
the Middle Ages. It now is grown in favorable localities throughout 
every section of Europe and especially in Saxony as well as Belgium 
and France. The name Roman Chamomile was given the drug grow- 
ing near Rome, by Joachim Camerarius (120) 1598. 
APOCYNUM 
American “Indian Hemp,” Apocynum cannabinum, is the name 
given to various species and varieties of this plant, in contradistinction 
to the true Indan hemp of India, Cannabis indica. The root of apoc- 
ynum has been used in decoction as an active hydragogue cathartic, and 
also as a diuretic, in domestic medicine, since the days of the earliest 
settlers, who learned of its qualities from the Indians. ‘Thus intro- 
duced into medication, it came to the attention of the profession. As 
a remedy in “dropsy” apocynum has been extensively used in home 
medication, and thus became known to physicians of American educa- 
tion. Finally it was introduced to the pages of the Pharmacopeia. 
