y^ POISONOUS PLANTS 



have valuable fruits from this family, such as 

 plums, raspberry, strawberry, pears and apples, the 

 first-mentioned belong to a genus of which some 

 species produce prussic acid. Not that this poison 

 exists in the plant, such as the bitter almond ; but 

 this fruit contains two principles called "Amyg- 

 daline " and " Emulsine," harmless in themselves 

 when separate, but in the presence of water they 

 produce prussic acid. The Amygdaline appears to 

 be confined to the cellular tissues of the embryo, 

 the Emulsine being in the traces of the fibro- 

 vascular cords. 



It is chiefly the tribe Prunece, which contains 

 the genus AniygdaluSy the almond, and Primus^ 

 including all kinds of plums and cherries, that has 

 these substances which can give rise to prussic 

 acid. It is the cherry-laurel, the common garden 

 shrub, and the bitter almond with which we are 

 now only concerned. 



Almond {Amygdalus communis) has produced 

 several varieties under cultivation. It is only the 

 variety, the so-called bitter almonds, in the use of 

 which some caution is necessary, especially with 

 regard to children ; and the distilled water of 

 bitter almonds, or the essence, when used for 

 flavouring bon-bons, etc. 



Animals have been poisoned by having been 

 fed with oil-cake made from the refuse in the 

 manufacture of the oil of almonds, which itself 



