Amiul!;if9hoarm"}       Gleanings  in  Materia  Medica,  397 
Sulphuric  acid,  with  the  addition  of  a  little  nitrate  generated  the 
odor  of  bitter  almonds. 
Ephedra  monostachya,  Linne. — This  shrub  is  used  in  Southern 
Siberia  as  a  popular  remedy  in  gout  and  syphilis,  a  decoction  of  the 
branches  and  root  being  employed,  while  the  pseudo-fruit,  contain- 
ing 13-89  per  cent,  sugar,  either  candied  or  its  gelatinous  juice,  are 
esteemed  in  pectoral  complaints.    The  stem  attains  a  height  of 
about  two  feet  and  has  numerous  round,  warty  and  forking  branches 
resembling  equisetum  ;  the  dividing  points  are  knotty  and  bear 
quite  small,  membranous,  sheathing  and  2  or  4-parted  leaves  which, 
on  drying,  become  easily  detached.    The  root  consists  of  a  tuber- 
ously  enlarged  main  root  sending  out  long,  horizontal  branches  2 
inches  thick,  and  like  their  descending  branches,  which  have  the 
size  of  a  quill,  twisted  around  their  eccentric  axis.    The  exfoliating 
bark  of  the  root  is  tough,  but  the  wood  after  drying  is  easily  split 
in  a  radial  direction  into  thin  layers  and  may  be  rubbed  to  powder 
between  the  fingers.    The  inaugural  dissertation  of  Paul  Spehr 
(Dorpat,  1890J,  contains  also  a  brief  histological  description  of  the 
stem  and  root.    The  former  is  free  from  starch,  but  the  root  con- 
tains a  small  quantity  in  some  parts  of  the  medullary  rays.  Tannin 
and  pyrocatechin  are  present  in  the  overground  portion  but  not  in 
the  root.    The  latter  yielded  only  a  minute  quantity  of  amorphous 
alkaloid,  while  from  the  branches  0-03  per  cent,  of  pure  crystallized 
alkaloid  was  isolated.    Its  composition  corresponds  to  the  formula 
C13H19NO.    The  pure  alkaloid  does  not  give  any  characteristic  color 
reaction.    It  melts  at  1120  C,  and  its  chlorhydrate  at  2070  C.  The 
alkaloid  is  readily  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  is  nearly  insoluble 
in   petroleum  benzin,  and  requires  1 1  parts  of  chloroform,  1,180 
parts  of  benzol,  and  about  100  parts  of  ether  for  solution  ;  oxida- 
tion with  permanganate  yields  benzoic  acid.    The  taste  is  at  first 
imperceptible,  then  becomes  burning  and  benumbing.  Professor 
Kobert  observed  it  to  exert  toxic  effects  upon  frogs,  but  doses  of 
0-2  gm.  given  to  dogs  and  cats  were  almost  without  action.  The 
alkaloid  differs  from    ephedrine  and  pseudephedrine  of  Ephedra 
vulgaris,  which  have  a  bitter,  astringent  taste  and  a  mydriatic  and 
poisonous  action. 
Siberian  cedar  nuts,  the  seeds  of  Pinus  Cembra,  Linne,  attain  a 
length  of  11  mm.  and  a  width  of  9  mm.,  are  ovate  in  shape,  irregu- 
larly and  obtusely  triangular,  have  a  brown-reddish,  hard  and  brittle 
