255 JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS 



cially useful in different forms of dropsies, either administered 

 alone, or in combination with other diuretics, more especially 

 digitalis. They have been also employed in mucous discharges, 

 as gonorrhoea, gleet, and leucorrhoea ; and in some cutaneous 

 diseases. Sir James Simpson considers oil of juniper an efficient 

 diuretic when administered through the lungs, and he recommends 

 for this purpose a teaspoonful of the oil to be put into a vessel of 

 hot water, and the patient directed to inhale the vapours. 



Formerly juniper fruits were ' ' employed as a spice to food ; and 

 a spirit, of which wormwood was an ingredient, was obtained 

 from them by fermentation and distillation. This spirit, called 

 in French Genievre, became known in English as Geneva, a name 

 subsequently contracted into Gin." At the present time the gin 

 distilled in Scotland is slightly flavoured with juniper berries, two 

 pounds of berries being used to 100 gallons of gin; but the gin 

 ordinarily distilled in England is flavoured with oil of turpentine. 



The wood has been regarded as sudorific in its action, and 

 according to Burnett, has been substituted for guaiacum and 

 sassafras. We have never met with such a substitution, and 

 except by accident, it is scarcely likely to occur. 



Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii, pt. 1, p. 327 ; Per. Mat. Med., by B. & R., 

 p. 483; Pharmacographia, p. 565; U. S. Disp., by W. & B., 

 pp. 507 and 1308 ; Garr., Mat. Med., p. 368 ; Steph. & Church., 

 Med. Bot., by Burnett, pi. 141, vol/iii. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE. 



Brawn from a plant collected at Mickleham, Surrey, in June, with tlie 

 male flowers added from Berg and Schmidt. 1. A branch of a female bush, 

 with flowers and fruit in various stages. 2. A female cone. 3. Vertical 

 section of the same. 4, 5. Ripe fruit. 6. Vertical, and 7, Transverse section 

 of same. 8. A seed. 9. Vertical section of same. 10. Male catkin. 

 11. Section of same. 12. A single stamen. (2, 3, 512 all enlarged.) 



