212 HERBS 



and should compare the drug with 



(i) Indian pink, which has larger leaves with prominent lateral 



veins and entire margins, 

 (ii) Grindelia, which has stouter yellowish steins bearing alternate 



leaf-scars, 



(iii) Chiretta (smaller pieces), which branches freely, and bears 

 much larger ovoid fruits with numerous seeds. 



Constituents. It appears doubtful whether the drug really possesses 

 the efficacy with which it has been credited. Investigations have failed 

 to isolate any particular constituent, although it is believed to contain 

 a poisonous glucoside. 



Uses. It has been recommended for asthma, bronchitis, hay fever, 

 whooping cough, and other affections of the respiratory organs, but 

 has never come into general use. 



SAVIN TOPS 



(Cacumina Sabinae) 



Source, &c. The savin, Juniperus Sablna, Linne (N.O. Coniferce), 

 is a small evergreen shrub indigenous to the mountains of southern 

 Europe, especially the southern Austrian and Swiss Alps, and 

 frequently cultivated in Britain. It was probably introduced by 

 the Romans, to whom the drug was well known. 



The young shoots are collected in the spring from plants grown in 

 this country ; they are used fresh for the preparation of the ointment 

 and for the distillation of the volatile oil, or dried for making the 

 tincture. 



Description. The young twigs of the savin are densely covered 

 with minute, thick, imbricated, opposite leaves, which are appressed 

 and frequently adnate to the stem for a considerable portion of their 

 length ; they are sessile, rhomboidal hi shape, and bluntly pointed On 

 the dorsal surface of each leaf a large oval depression is visible, corre- 

 sponding to a large gland in the mesophyll of the leaf. Occasionally 

 the small drooping baccate fruits may be found. 



The lower leaves (and sometimes all) are more distant, linear, 

 subulate, and more or less spreading. 



The drug has a strong, characteristic odour and a bitter, acrid, 

 unpleasant taste. 



The student should observe 



(a) The rhomboidal, appressed, bluntly pointed leaves, 



(b) The oil-glands on their dorsal surfaces, 



(c) The very characteristic odour. 



