99 PRUNUS AMYGDALUS 



acid, but all these purified oils are liable to oxidation unless 

 agitated with fused chloride of calcium so as to deprive them of 

 water. Umney gives the sp. gr. of the purified oil as 1'049. 



Medical Properties and Uses. The effects of the unpurified or 

 crude oil of bitter almonds are almost identical with those of hydro- 

 cyanic acid, but as the proportion of hydrocyanic in different oils is 

 liable to great variation, it is very rarely or never employed in 

 medicine in this country, although sometimes prescribed both for 

 external and internal use in the United States of America. 



The volatile oil of bitter almonds is very largely used for 

 flavouring by the cook and confectioner ; and by the perfumer for 

 scenting toilet soap, and for other purposes. When used for 

 flavouring the purified oil ought always to be employed on account 

 of the dangerous poisonous properties of the crude oil. For this 

 purpose an essence of bitter almonds or almond flavour is 

 commonly supplied, which may be prepared by adding one 

 volume of the purified oil to three volumes of rectified spirit. 



Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii, pt. 2, pp. 244 and 250 ; Pharmacographia, 

 pp. 218221 ; U. S. Disp., by W. and B., pp. 117, 588, and 

 590 ; Per. Mat. Med., by B. and R., pp. 808811. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE. 



Drawn from a specimen grown in the Royal Gardens, Kew. 



1. A flowering shoot, 



2. Vertical section of a flower. 



3. A branch with young fruit. 



4. Ripe fruit with the sarcocarp split away. 



5. Section through fruit to show the seed. 



6. Seed with one cotyledon removed. 



