ON JUNIPEUUS SABINA. 
13 
It is more generally used in Europe than in our country, and 
we find instances mentioned of its efficacy in amenorrhea; the 
form of administering it was that of powder, in doses of from 
a scruple to a drachm. It also possesses anthelmintic virtues, 
and is used as such by the country people in the form of a tea. 
It is regarded by our physicians generally as a dangerous re- 
medy, and is now but little used ; which may, in part, be at- 
tributed to the criminal purpose to which it is applied. Dr. 
Woodville informs us "that its great power in opening ute- 
rine obstructions has led to uses the most infamous and unna- 
tural." An ointment, prepared from the stems and leaves, is 
officinal in our Pharmacopoeia, and has been found very useful 
as an application to blistered surfaces in order to keep up a 
constant discharge. 
CHEMICAL HISTORY. 
So far as I have been able to ascertain, no chemical analy- 
sis has been made of the plant under consideration. The 
works consulted for information were, for the most part, brief, 
and but little knowledge could be obtained as regards its his- 
tory and constitution. With the hope of being able to throw 
some light upon the chemical constitution of Juniperas sa- 
bina, I have been induced to make the following experiments. 
The plant was collected in the fall, and used in the fresh 
state. 
Experiment 1. — A decoction was prepared by boiling 
an ounce of the leaves in a pint of water for ten minutes. 
It was of a pale, straw color, having the peculiar odor 
of the plant, with a pungent acrid taste. To a portion 
of this decoction a small quantity of tincture of iodine 
was added : but there was no indication of starch being 
present ; a solution of subacetate of lead with another por- 
tion occasioned a flocculent precipitate of a dirty white co- 
lor. The muriatic tincture of iron produced a black color 
with the remainder, proving the presence of tannin. 
Experiment 2. — A tincture was prepared by digesting one 
ounce of the fresh leaves in a pint of alcohol 35° Baumc, for 
