a 
Paw agin: 
CARUM CARUI. - ORD. VI. Umbellate. 103 
This plant produces its flowers in May and June. It is a native 
of Britain, and grows in meadows and low grounds; but the seeds 
of the cultivated plant are said to be larger, “more oily, and of a 
more agreeable flavour than those of the wild plant, which are hot 
and weed. 
. Caraway seeds are well known to have a pleasant spicy smell, 
and a warm aromatic taste, and on this account are used for various 
ceconomical purposes." “ They give out the whole of their virtues, * 
by moderate digestion, to rectified spirit. Watery infusions of these | 
seeds are stronger in smell than the spirituous tincture, but weaker 
in taste: after repeated infusion, in fresh portions of water, they 
_ still give a considerable taste to spirit. In distillation, or evapora- 
tion, water élevates all the aromatic part of thé Caraways: the 
remaining extract is almost insipid, and thus discovers, that in 
Caraways there is less, than in most of the other warm seeds of 
European growth, of a bitterish or ungrateful matter joined to the 
aromatic. Along with the aqueous fluid there arises in distillation 
a very considerable quantity, about one ounce from thirty, of 
essential oil; in taste hotter and more pungent than those obtained 
from most of our other warm seeds.” 
The Caraway seeds are esteemed to be carminative, cordial, and 
stomachic, and recommended in dyspepsia, flatulencies; and other 
symptoms attending hysterical and hypochondrial disorders: they 
are also reported to be diuretic, and to promote the secretion of © 
milk. They formerly entered many of the compositions in the 
Pharmacopezias ; but are now less frequently employed. An essen- 
tial oil, and a distilled spirit, are directed to be prepared from 
them by the London College. : 
* Semina Carui satis communiter adhibentur ad condiendum panem. Raustici 
nostrates esitant jusculum e pane seminibus Carui & cerevisia coctum., Distillatores 
seminibus Carui utuntur in rectificatione spiritus framenti, ut ille acuatur oleo. 
stellatitio carul, utpote calefaciente, unde spiritus fortior apparet, &c. 
> Beaume obtained from six pounds of unbruised caraway seeds four ounces of. 
essential oil as colourless as water. 
