LAUREL, 69 



sinous, glaucous secretion, called bloom on their fruit; while the 

 others are destitute of bloom; and the Cerasi and Lauro-cerasi 

 are separated by the character of the inflorescence, which in the 

 former is in tufts or sertula, and in the latter in spikes or racemes. 



Qualities and general Uses.— The pulp of this fruit is eaten 

 with avidity by birds, and is quite innocuous to man ; and, though 

 not pleasant to the taste, has been occasionally used in puddings. 

 The kernels or seeds of the drupe contain a poisonous principle, 

 like those of the bitter almond, the peach, &c, but are employed to 

 flavour various liqueurs. The leaves possess the same property, and 

 are similarly used, to prepare ratafia, noyeau, and maraschino, and 

 to flavour custards, puddings, cakes, jellies, &c, while some per- 

 sons infuse them in tea, coffee, and similar beverages. In small 

 quantities these leaves will do no harm, and may even facilitate 

 digestion ; but caution is requisite in their employment, as subse- 

 quent remarks will prove. 



The different parts of this tree are nearly inodorous, except the 

 flowers, which have considerable fragrancy, combined with a certain 

 nauseous odour. The leaves are slightly styptic, and very bitter, 

 and, when bruised, emit the odour of bitter almonds : these qua- 

 lities are lost in drying. Water completely extracts their virtues 

 in distillation, and an oil containing prussic or hydrocyanic acid 

 passes over in small quantity, the greater part remaining combined 

 with the water. Alcohol likewise obtains their active properties by 

 distillation, and partly by infusion. The inner bark* of the -tree 

 exhales a similar odour to the bruised leaves and kernels, and pro- 

 bably contains the same virulent principle. It is probable that in 

 these kernels, as in the bitter almond, the essential oil does not 

 exist ready formed, but is developed only in consequence of the 

 contact of water. 



Poisonous Properties. — We have already adverted to the frequent 

 use of Laurel-leaves for culinary purposes ; several accidents have been 

 owing to this source. Dr. Parisf mentions an instance of several children 

 at a boarding-school having been dangerously affected by a custard 



* The bark of the Bird- Cherry {Pr units Padus), yields by distillation 

 prussic acid, and the same substance exists in the flowers and young 

 shoots of the peach and the cherry, and more or less either in the kernel 

 or the leaves of all the Amygdalacese, and not improbably in some of the 

 Pomese or Apple tribe. 



t Med. Jurisprudence, vol. ii. p, 402. 



