they enter into several formulæ for dentifrice; the oil is frequently applied on cotton to carious cavities in teeth with a view of allaying pain, and sometimes to the interior of the auditory canal in cases of deafness from nervous debility.

CARDAMOMUM.-CARDAMOM.

DESCRIPTION.-The officinal cardamom is the fruit of Elettaria cardamomum, which grows abundantly on the Malabar coast of Hindostan. It is a perennial plant, from six to nine feet high, with long lance-shaped leaves, and a rhizome with long fleshy fibres, which lies near the surface of the ground. The seed-pods are about half an inch in length, three sided, obscurely rounded at the ends, longitudinally wrinkled, and of a buff color. The seeds are small, brown, irregular, and rough upon the surface, and easily reduced to powder. The odor of cardamoms is fragrant, the taste warm, pungent, aromatic, and somewhat terebinthinate. Its virtues depend upon a volatile oil which is obtained by distillation from the seeds. They also contain a fixed oil.

HISTORY.-Cardamom is mentioned as a medicine by Hippocrates and Dioscorides, the latter of whom states that it grows in India, and speaks of it as a remedy for epilepsy, sciatica, paralysis, sprains, colic, worms, &c. &c. But Matthiolus gives many reasons which appear satisfactory, against believing this medicine to be the officinal cardamom of the present day,' while Mr. Adams thinks there is no reason for doubting that it is so. Undoubtedly neither the Asiatics, among whom the plant is native, nor the European physicians who have lived and practised among them, attribute to cardamom any other virtues than belong to stomachic stimulants in general.

USES.-Cardamom is a warm and agreeable carminative and stomachic, which is well adapted to form an addition to tonic and stimulant preparations. The compound tincture, on account of its brilliant red color, imparted by cochineal, as well as from its active properties, is a favorite remedy for flatulent colic, when mixed with hot water and sweetened. Among the medicines of its class none is perhaps superior to it in acceptableness to the palate, as well as to the stomach.

ADMINISTRATION.-Cardamom may be administered in an infusion made with from two to four drachms in a pint of boiling water, and given in the dose of a wineglassful. In Germany white wine is some

I Comment. sur Dioscorides, i. 5.

2 Commentary on Paul. Ægin., iii. 157.

times used instead of water as a menstruum. There is a simple tincture (TINCTURA CARDAMOMI) and a compound (TINCTURA CARDAMOMI COMPOSITA), either of which may be prescribed in doses of one or two fluidrachms.

CARUM.-CARAWAY.

DESCRIPTION.-Caraway seeds, as they are commonly called, are the fruit or mericarps of Carum carui, a small biennial umbelliferous plant which grows wild in Europe, and is also cultivated there and in this country. They are of a brownish color, from one to two lines in length, pointed at either end, slightly curved inwards, with a convex back, flattened sides, and marked with five yellowish longitudinal ridges. They have an aromatic smell, and a warm, spicy, and somewhat bitter taste. These qualities are derived mainly from an essential oil, which, when first distilled, is colorless, but becomes darker, and finally brownish by age. It is soluble in alcohol and ether, but only slightly so in

water.

HISTORY.-Caraway is described by Dioscorides, who attributes to it diuretic and stomachic properties like those of anise.' The same qualities are ascribed to it by Galen, Paulus, and the Arabians, one of whom adds that it possesses anthelmintic virtues. Pliny states that it derives its name from its native country, Caria, and that it is chiefly used in the culinary art.3

2

ACTION AND USES.-Mitscherlich found that oil of caraway is a strong poison for rabbits; half an ounce of it destroying life in the course of five hours. The death of the animals was preceded by increased frequency of the pulse and respiratory movements, loss of sense and motion, and death by gradual asthenia. No structural changes existed in the primæ viæ, but the odor exhaled from the peritoneal cavity indicated the absorption of the oil.

Caraway is more used by the confectioner than by the physician; but it may be employed whenever a gastric stimulant or a carminative is required. An infusion, and a water of caraway, may be prepared in the same way as those of anise and fennel-seed, and the oil may be applied, like that of cloves, to assuage the pain of toothache when the nerve pulp of the tooth is exposed, or be taken in ether, Hoffmann's anodyne, or sweetened water, in doses of from one to ten drops.

Mat. Med., lib. iii. cap. lvii. 2 EBN BAITHAR, ii. 368. 3 Hist. Nat., xix. 49.

CORIANDRUM.-CORIANDER.

DESCRIPTION.- Coriandrum sativum is a small, annual, umbelliferous plant, a native of Asia Minor, and Southern Europe. The fruit, or coriander seed, as it is usually called, is spherical, about two lines in diameter, of a grayish-brown color, ribbed, and formed by the junction of two half fruits. It has when dry an aromatic and somewhat sweetish smell, and a similar taste. Coriander seeds furnish an essential oil, which is very liquid, colorless, and of the same taste and smell as the dried seeds.

HISTORY.-Hippocrates regarded coriander as stimulant and stomachic, but Dioscorides declares it to be sedative. Hence he says that mixed with cataplasms it is a useful application to erysipelatous parts and herpetic ulcers, carbuncles, scrofulous swellings, and all active inflammations. These remarks seem to apply to the herb, for it is added that the fruit (seeds) macerated in wine is anthelmintic, and promotive of the spermatic secretion, and that if too much of it is taken, the mind may become disturbed.' He states further that coriander is readily recognized by its smell (which Matthiolus compares to that of bed-bugs, and hence, indeed, its name, from xopis, cimex), and that a decoction of it may produce a delirium resembling that of drunkenness. For those who are under its influence talk indecently, and reveal what poison they have taken by the odor exhaled from their persons.2 Galen seems to have been much irritated by the opinion of Dioscorides as to the sedative and discutient properties of the plant, and, indeed, characterizes it bluntly as false. He, however, explains it by a reference to the astringent qualities of the plant, which, he admits, are competent to produce the effects ascribed to them by Dioscorides. But, he says, at the same time, that it is not at the height of inflammation that coriander, or any similar application, can do good, but only when the inflammatory process having declined, stimulants are required to restore the normal action of the part. The Arabian writers are altogether with Dioscorides and against Galen in this argument, although most of them, like Avicenna, admit the medicine to possess a transient stimulant operation. Rhazes and Hobaisch speak of its expressed juice as a poison, and the latter mentions pains, anxiety, syncope, and constriction of the throat, among the symptoms it produces. Elgâfaki also mentions delirium, disturbance of the memory and understanding, and usually sleep, as consequences of an overdose of it, and he includes

Mat. Med., iii. 62.

2 Ibid., vi. ix.

it in the same group with opium and cicuta.' In modern times Hoffmann has stated, on the faith of some monks, that it is capable of producing intoxication. Whatever degree of truth there may be in these accounts, which seem to refer exclusively to the herb and not to the seeds of coriander, there is no reason to suppose that the latter possess any qualities but those of the carminative aromatics.

ACTION AND USES.-Coriander-seeds appear to be simply aromatic and stimulant. They are seldom employed in medicine, except as a corrective to purgative medicines which are apt to gripe. For this purpose they form an ingredient of the confection of senna, the tincture of rhubarb and senna, the tincture of senna and jalap, &c. The dose of coriander is from half a drachm to a drachm.

CUBEBA.-CUBEBS. Vid. Diuretics.

CYMINUM. Lond.-CUMIN.

DESCRIPTION.-Cumin is the fruit (cumin-seeds) of Cuminum cyminum, a small annual plant which is a native of Egypt and Asia Minor, but is cultivated in Southern Europe, especially at Malta. The fruit is formed of two oblong mericarps, or half fruits, united by their flat sides, pointed at both ends, and marked by longitudinal ridges, which are furnished with fine prickles. It resembles caraway, and still more anise, but is rather larger than either. The color of cumin is grayish brown. Its odor and taste are very strong and aromatic, but less agreeable than those of anise. It yields a volatile oil in great abundance, of a light yellow color.

HISTORY.-Cumin was anciently a favorite condiment and medicine, and is spoken of in both senses by Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Pliny. Hippocrates bestowed upon it the title of "royal." Dioscorides describes a cultivated and a wild variety of cumin, and says that it is astringent, styptic, stimulant, carminative, and diuretic. Pliny pronounces it to be, of all condiments, the best adapted to remove distaste for food, and states that it is among the most used of stomachic remedies, dispelling phlegm and flatulence, relieving colic and nausea, and dissipating hysterical symptoms, &c. He alludes to a singular property ascribed to this plant, that of making pale those who continue to take it. The Roman students of his day were accustomed, he says, to em

4

I EBN BAITHAR, ed. cit., ii. 372.

3 Mat. Med., iii. lix. lx.

2 MURRAY, App. Med., i. 405.

Hist. Nat., xix. 47.

ploy it for this purpose, in order that they might have credit for greater devotion to their studies than they deserved.' Galen says that its properties are like those of anise and of caraway. The Arabians repeat the observations of Dioscorides, but dwell particularly upon the efficacy of the medicine in passive hemorrhages.

ACTION AND USES.-Cumin has the same mode of action as caraway. It is used by the Dutch to season their cheeses, and by the Germans in some kinds of bread. It may be substituted for the other stimulants of its class in the cases to which they are applicable; it is, however, very seldom prescribed in this country. In Germany the oil has sometimes been used as an antispasmodic, and in England a plaster made with cumin, caraway, laurel, and Burgundy pitch is employed as a discutient and resolvent.

FENICULUM.-FENNEL-SEED.

DESCRIPTION.-Fennel-seed is the fruit of Foeniculum officinale and F. vulgare, the former being the common species in Italy, the latter in Germany. Another kind of fennel, F. dulce, is a native of Spain. Fennel has become naturalized, and is cultivated in other parts of Europe, and also in this country. It is an umbelliferous plant, and its seeds or half fruits are oblong, flat on one side, convex on the other, five-ribbed, and of a dark grayish-green color. It has a fragrant smell, and a sweet and aromatic taste. The properties of fennel seed depend upon an essential oil of a light color and agreeable flavor.

HISTORY.-Fennel-juice and the root and seeds are frequently mentioned in the Hippocratic treatises as remedies for jaundice, and as means of promoting the secretion of milk, the lochial discharge, &c. Dioscorides, besides ascribing to them these and other virtues, says that a decoction of the tops is diuretic, and an infusion in cold water arrests vomiting. Both he and Pliny describe a wild and a cultivated variety. The last named author states, among other things, that fennel was an ingredient of most of the compound condiments of his time, and that then, as is now the custom, especially in Germany, the seeds were strewn over the surface of bread and cakes. He mentions that it is much esteemed in diseases of the lungs and liver; that a decoction of the root is diuretic, discutient, and alexipharmic; that the whole plant is aphrodisiac, &c.3 Galen repeats the same statements, and adds that it promotes the lacteal secretion, and is an emmenagogue. Arabian

'Hist. Nat., xx. lvii. 2 Lib. iii. chap. lxvii. lxviii.

3 Hist. Nat., xx. xcv.