484 
LECTURES ON THE BRITISH PHARMACOPEIA. 
young leaves ; and as its properties depend upon a substance, namely, hydro¬ 
cyanic acid, for which a definite formula is elsewhere given in the British Phar¬ 
macopoeia, we regard the introduction of cherry-laurel leaves into the British 
Pharmacopoeia as a mistake. 
Lini Farina. —Linseed meal is a new introduction to the Materia Medica 
of the British Pharmacopoeia as compared with the last London and Dublin 
Pharmacopoeias, but not so as regards the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia. Linseed 
Poultice was ordered in the last London Pharmacopoeia to be prepared with 
powdered Linseed , and hence it contained the oil; but the linseed meal, as now 
ordered, is described as “the seeds ground and deprived of their oil by expres¬ 
sion.” Linseed Poultice was ordered in the last Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia to be 
prepared from linseed meal deprived of the oil, and the reason given by Dr. 
Cliristison for its being preferred over the meal containing the oil was, “because 
the latter, when rancid, is apt to irritate the skin.” 
In this country and in the United States of America, as a general rule, lin¬ 
seed meal containing the oil has been much preferred for poultices ; and for this 
reason I presume, and also under the impression that olive oil was less liable to 
become rancid than linseed oil, the authors of the Pharmacopoeia have directed 
Linseed Poultice to be prepared from linseed meal deprived of its own natural 
oil, but with the addition of olive oil. In all the other poultices of the British 
Pharmacopoeia into which linseed meal enters as a constituent, it is used with¬ 
out the oil. Surely this removal of a natural oil, and its replacement by a dif¬ 
ferent one, is a totally unnecessary and useless attempt at refinement. 
Matica, Matico. —This article of the British Pharmacopoeia was introduced 
originally into the last edition of the Dublin Pharmacopoeia, but it was not 
officinal in tile London or Edinburgh Pharmacopoeias. It has been likewise 
introduced into the Primary List of the Materia Medica of the recently- 
issued United States Pharmacopoeia. Matico is the dried leaves of Artanthe 
elongata , Miquel, Natural Order Piperacese, and is imported from Peru. I 
have so recently alluded to this substance in a paper read before this Society, 
entitled “ On a New Kind of Matico,”* that it is unnecessary for me to dwell 
upon it at present; indeed, my only object in noticing it now is to call your at¬ 
tention to its scarcity,-—in fact, a short time since, when my paper was read, it 
could not be obtained in the British market. Some, however, has been recently 
imported. This scarcity has chiefly arisen from the great demand for it in North 
America, in consequence of tne war. 
Mezereum. —Mezereon is now ordered to be obtained from both Daphne Me- 
zereum , Linn., the former officinal species, and Daphne Laureola , Linn. The ex¬ 
periments of Mr. Squiref show that the latter is inferior in acrimony to the 
former; but as a portion of the mezereon of commerce is now obtained from it, 
we presume it was thought desirable to make it officinal. The bark of the root 
has also been commonly supposed in this country to be stronger than that of the 
stem, and has hitherto been alone officinal in British Pharmacopoeias; but as 
that is now difficult to procure in sufficient quantity to supply the demand, the 
authors of the Pharmacopoeia have, we think, properly directed the dried bark 
to be used, without designating the part of the plant from which it is to be taken. 
Oleum Amygdala:. —This oil, which was directed in the last London Phar¬ 
macopoeia to be expressed either from Sweet or Bitter Almonds, must be, ac¬ 
cording to the British Pharmacopoeia, now expressed from Sweet Almonds alone, 
as Bitter Almonds are no longer officinal. 
Oleum Anisi. —Oil of Anise is now directed to be distilled from the fruit of 
Pimpinella Anisum , Linn., the Anise, in Europe: and from the fruit of Illicium 
Anisatum , Linn., the Star Anise, in China. The oil from the former has hitherto 
* Pharm. Journ. vol. v. 2nd ser. p. 290. 
f Pharm. Journ. vol. i. p. 395. 
