566 ROSACELE. 
taste and odour, and a higher specific gravity. According to 
Allen almond oil consists chiefly of triolein, more or less tripal- 
mitin, and probably its homologues being also present ; itis also 
stated to contain traces of cholesterin, and to be thus distin- 
guished from poppy, sesame, rape and olive oil. By pressure 
sweet almonds yield on an average 45 per cent. of oil, and bitter 
almonds 38 per cent. (Brannt.) 
Bitter almonds containa glucoside called Amygdalin, C?° 
H?*? NO!!, and a neutral principle called emulsin or synaptose— 
also a constituent of sweet almonds—which possesses the power 
of acting as a ferment on the amygdalin in the presence of water, 
converting it into benzoic aldehyde (oil of bitter almonds), 
hydrocyanic acid and glucose. By boiling, however, the hydro- 
‘ lytic power of emulsin is destroyed. The presence of amygdalin 
is not confined solely to bitter almonds, it is present also to a 
small extent in sweet almonds, and in many plants, chiefly 
belonging to the Amygdalacez, Drupacezeand Pomaces : bitter 
almonds contain 2°8 to 4 per cert.; peach kernels 2°35 per 
cent. ; cherry kernels -82 per cent.; plum kernels ‘96 per cent. ; 
and apple pips ‘6 percent, Amygdalin also occurs inother parts 
of these plants; also in the leaves of the Cerasus Laurocerasus ; 
in the bark, flowers, and leaves of the Prunus Padus; in the 
seeds and bark of Sorbus Aucuparia, inthe hawthorn, &c.- 
All these portions of the plants yield oil of bitter almonds, 
containing hydrocyanic acid on distillation with water. The 
shrubby members of the Spirca family yield a distillate which 
contains hydrocyanic acid, but it has not been decided whether 
_ the hydrocyanic acid thus yielded is derived from amygdalins 
Similar remark also apply to the hydrocyanic acid present in the 
sap of the bitter cassava, from which arrowroot is prepared : in 
the Chardenia eranthemoides, in the fruit of the Ximenia 
americana, in Ipomea dissecta and Agaricus oreades, while the 
seeds of the Vicia sativa, which do not contain amygdalin 
yield both benzoic aldehyde and hydrocyanic acid, benzoic 
_ aldehyde being also found in the germinating seeds of cress, 
= According: to Frerichs and Maer beeialn isnot poisonous > 
ia and Ossi assert assert that the principle exerts a 
