176 
THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
tinged with blue, and is scarcely more than half the length 
of the leaves.” 
The juniper is a native plant, scarcely attaining to the 
dignity of a tree, though those who have seen it growing on 
the fine oolitic elevations in the neighbourhood of Painswick, 
Gloucestershire, must admit it to be at least a noble and 
elegant shrub. 
Dr. Pereira tells us that both the berries and tops are used 
medicinally. Their principal action is that of a diuretic, de¬ 
pendent upon a volatile oil, which is contained to a greater or 
less extent in all parts of the plant. 
Professor Tuson, in his f Veterinary Pharmacopoeia/ men¬ 
tions only the “ Oleum juniperi” in the following terms 
(pp. 173-4) : 
“ Composition. —C 10 H 16 . 
Mode of Preparation. —In Britain, by distilling the 
unripe fruit of Juniperus communis with water. 
“ Characters. —Colourless or pale greenish-yellow, sweet¬ 
ish odour, and warm aromatic taste; completely volatilised 
by heat. 
“ Actions and Uses. —Stomachic and diuretic. Given as 
a diuretic. 
“ Doses.— Horse , 1 drachm ; cattle , 2 drachms ; sheep , 
15 minims ; pig , 10 minims; dog , 2 to 5 minims. 
“ Mode of Application. —Suspended in water or some 
mucilaginous drink.” 
We have given these data to show that juniper oil is a power¬ 
ful medicinal agent on animals in general; while in the 
human school Dr. Pereira, quoting Mr. Alexander's experi¬ 
ments, says —“ It is in doses of four drops the most powerful 
of all diuretics.” 
Juniper berries distilled with spirits of wine, sweetened 
with sugar, forms Hollands or English gin, the direct diuretic 
action of which is much enhanced by the juniper, though 
there is reason to think that our common “ old Tom” is per¬ 
fectly innocent of oil of juniper, its diuretic properties being 
derived from the coarser oil of turpentine. 
Cooley, in his f Practical Receipts/ under the article 
“ Gin,” has the following: 
“ Gin (from geneevre, juniper) is flavoured corn spirit. 
This liquor was originally wholly imported from Holland, 
and hence received the name of Hollands or Hollands gin , 
and was a rich, smooth spirit, chiefly flavoured with juniper 
berries; hence the term Geneva , frequently applied to it, of 
which the English monosyllable gin appears to be a corrup¬ 
tion or diminutive. The liquor at present known by this 
