|  UMBELLIFERA. 115 
these four kinds were, but it seems probable that the Kirm4ni 
or black cumin is correctly identified by the Indian Maho- 
 metans with the seeds known in India as Siyah-Jira, a species 
of caraway peculiar to Central Asia, The Nabti or Egyptian 
_kind is probably true cumin. 
Cumin is much used as a condiment in ee and is an 
essential ingredient in all the mixed spices and curry powders of 
the natives. Medicinally they regard it as stomachic, carmina- 
tive and astringent, and prescribe it im chronic diarrhoea and 
dyspepsia. A medicinal oil is expressed from the seeds. 
Cumin is applied in the form of a plaster.to allay pain and irri- 
_ tation. It is thought to be very cooling, and on this account it 
isan ingredient in most antaphrodisiac prescriptions, and is 
_ administered in gonorrhoea. 
Description.—The fruit consists of two mericarps which 
remain united together when dry, and form an elongated ovoid 
_ body about ¢ inch long and 75 broad in the ida. aur- 
- mounted by the styles ; each mericarp has five primary ridges 
nd four secondary, the vitte are six in number, two of them 
being situated on the commissural side ; the seed is pentan- 
gular with rounded angles. © 
Chemical composition.—Cumim fruits yielded to Bley (1824) 
7-7 per cent. of fat oil, 13°5 per cent. of resin, 8 of mucilage 
and gum, 15°5 of protein compounds, and a large amount of 
malates. Their peculiar, strong, aromatic smell and taste de- 
end on the essential oil, of which they afford about 4 percent. 
t contains about 56 per cent. of Cuminol (or Cuminaldehyde), 
HO, a liqnid of sp. gr. 0-972, boiling point 237° C. 
boiling cuminol with potash in aloskolia solution, cuminalcoho 
C'°H"*0, as well as the potassium salt. of cuminic 
019203, are formed. 
Poko as 
