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Show A74 ALMOND TREE. having been confirmed by later experiments ; and it having been discovered that a water drawn from themhad deleterious effects, and that the distilled water from the lauro-cerasus leaves, which have a bitter taste resembling that of bitter almonds, was still more poisonous, it raised a suspicion of the wholesomeness of those bitter substances, and has made physicians more cautious of using them, though they have been employed for making orgeate and otherliqueurs, without producing any had effects. PREPARATIONS. Oi or ALMonps. Those who prepare large quantities of the oil of almonds blanch them by steeping them in very hot water, which causes their epidermis to swell and separateeasily. After peeling them, they dry themin a stove, then grind them in a mill like a coffeemill, and, lastly, express the oil from the paste, enclosed in a hempen bag. By blanching the almonds, the paste which remains within the bag is sold with greater advantage to the perfumers, and the oil obtained is perfectly colourless. But the heat employ ed disposes the oil to become rancid, and the colour the oil acquires from the epidermis does not injure its qualities. For pharmaceutical use, therefore, the almonds should not be blanched, but merely rubbed in a piece of coarse linen, to separate, as much as possible, the brown powder adhering to the epidermis. Sixteen ounces of sweet almonds commonly give five ounces and a half of oil. Bitter almonds afford the same pro- portion, but the oil has a pleasant bittertaste. Exerrssep Oin or Atmonns. (Oleum Expressum. E.) Takeof fresh almonds, any quantity : After having bruised them in a stone mortar, put them into a hempen bag, and express the oil, without heat. Lond. Pound fresh almonds, either sweet or bitter, in a mortar, then press out the oil in a cold press, Dub. Bruise fresh almonds in a mortar, and express the oil in a press, without heat. ALMOND TREE. Atmonp Emutsion. A75 (Emulsio Amygdala Communis. E.) Take of sweet almonds, one ounce; water, two pounds and a half: Beat diligently the blanched almonds in a stone mortar, gradually pouring on them the water ; thenstrain the liquor. Atmonp Mirx. (Lac Amygdale. L. D.) Take of sweet almonds, blanched, an ounce and a half ; double refined sugar, half an ounce ; distilled water, two pints (two pints and a half, D.): Beat the almonds with the sugar; then rubbing them together, add by degrees the water, andstrain the liquor. Almost any juantity may be taken as a frequent drink to soften coughs, and nourish the system ; also to assuage urinary disorders, Arazic Emunston. (Emulsio Arabica. D.) Take of gum arabic, in powder, two drachms ; sweet almonds, blauched, double refined sugar, each half a drachm ; decoction of barley, one pint: Dissolve the gum in the warm decoction; and when it is almost cold, pour it upon the almonds, previously well beaten with the Sugar, and at the same time triturate them together, so as to form an emulsion, and thenfilter. All these may be considered as possessing nearly the same qualities. They are merely mechanical suspensions of oil of almonds in watery fluids, by means either of the mucilage with whichit is naturally combined in the almonds by itself, or as- sisted by the addition of gum arabic and sugar. Therefore, on standing for some days, the oily matter separates and rises to the top, not in a pure form, but like thick cream. Byheat the same decomposition is immediately effected. Great care should be taken that the almonds have not become rancid by keeping; which not only renders the emulsion extremely unpleasant, a circumstance of great consequence in a medicine that requires to be taken in large quantities, but likewise gives It injurious qualities. The almonds are blanched by infusing them in boiling water, and peeling them. The success of the preparation depends upon beating the almonds to a smooth pulp, and triturating them with |