AMYGDALA. - 239 



ROSE HIPS. The ripe fruit of the Dog Rose, Rosa 

 canina, and other indigenous allied species. 



Characters. An inch or more in length, ovate, scarlet, 

 smooth, shining ; taste sweet, subacid, pleasant. 



Preparation, 



Confectio Roaa Caning. 1 in 3. Dose, 60 gr. or more. 

 Confectio Rosce Canina is contained in Pilula Quiniaa. 



ACTION AND USE. 



The confection of hips forms a very useful basis for pills. 

 Composition. Hips contain malic and citric acids, free and 

 combined, tannic acid, sugar, and a trace of volatile oil. 



Amygdala Pulcis- SWEET ALMOND. The seed 

 of the sweet almond tree, Amygdalus communis, var. 

 dulcis. Cultivated about Malaga. 



Characters. Above an inch in length, Lanceolate, acute, 

 with a clear cinnamon-brown seed-coat, and a bland sweetish 

 nutty-flavoured kernel. Does not evolve the odour of bitter 

 almonds when bruised with water. 



Impurity. The bitter almond, which yields an odour of 

 hydrocyanic acid when bruised with water. 



Amygdala Amara BITTER ALMOND. The 

 seed of the bitter almond tree, Amygdalus communis 

 var. amara. Brought chiefly from Mogadore. 



Characters. Resembles the sweet almond in appearance, 

 but is rather broader and shorter ; has a bitter taste, and when 

 rubbed with a little water emits a characteristic odour. 



Composition. Both varieties of almond yield by expression 

 about 50 per cent, oijixed oil, Oleum Amygdalae, and albuminous 

 substances, including emulsin. The bitter variety also yields, by 

 distillation with water, a volatile oil, Oleum Amygdalae Amara, 

 Essential Oil of Almonds, not officinal. 



This Essential Oil of Bitter Almonds, or " Oil of Bitter 

 Almonds," although not officinal, must be carefully dis- 

 tinguished from the officinal fixed oil, Oleum Amygdalae, inas- 

 much as in the crude form generally sold it is highly poisonous, 

 from admixture with 4 to 8 per cent, of hydrocyanic acid. 

 Bitter almonds contain neither the volatile oil nor hydrocyanic 



