214

Materia Medica.

part II.

bitterish, and very pungent; the other black, resinous, tenaci-ous, less pungent, and subastringent." *

Medical properties and uses. — Savine is a powerful stimu-lant, possessing diaphoretic, emmenagogue and anthelminticproperties. It has certainly a considerable effect on the ute-rine system ; but, on account of its stimulating properties, issuited to those cases only of amenorrhcea which are unattendedby fever, and in which the circulation is languid. In pletho-ric habits its use should he preceded by repeated bleedings *;and at all times its internal exhibition requires caution. It hasbeen given in gout, and worm cases also, but is seldom used.As an external local stimulant or escharotic, the dried leavesin powder are applied to warts, flabby ulcers, and carious bones;and the expressed juice diluted, or an infusion of the leaves, asa lotion to gangrenous sores, scabies, and tinea capitis; ormixed with lard and wax as an issue ointment. The dose ofthe powered leaves is from grs. v. to grs. x. two or three timesa day.

Officinal preparations. Oleum volatile Juniperi Sabiiue. E. D.Extract am Sabince. D. Ceratum Sabince. L.

2. JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS. 3

Officinal. — Juniperi BACCiEET cacumina. Lond. Juniperi com-munis BAcciE. Edin. Juniperus ; bacc^;. Dub. Juniper berries.

Syn. Genevrier ordinaire (F.) Wachholderbeeren (G%) Ginqiro (I.) Embro (S.)

The common juniper is indigenous, growing on heaths andchalky hilis, and flowering in May. It is a low, very branch-ing, rigid, smooth, evergreen shrub; but when planted in agood soil it rises to fifteen feet in height. The leaves are verynumerous, narrow, entire, sharply pointed, channelled, of aglaucous colour on the upper surface, and sessile, standing internaries. The catkins are axillary, sessile, solitary, ovate,small, and furnished with bractes; the male flowers yellow atfirst, and afterwards brown, with great abundance of pollen ;the female smaller, and of a yellowish green colour. Theberry is globular, in colour blackish-purple with a glaucousbloom, composed of the scales of the amentum, which becomefleshy and coalesce. The seeds are three, and angular. 4

The berries require to remain two years on the tree beforethey are fully ripe. The greater quantity of those which areused in Britain are brought from Germany, Holland, andItaly. The Italian berries are less shrivelled, and have a fresherand more beautiful bloom upon them than the German, andare therefore generally preferred. They are imported in bags.

i Mat.Medira.

1 Home. Clinical Experiments, 387. J 'A^xivfo; p..xga Dioscoridis.

4- The resinous substance known by the name ofSandarach, which is brought fromMorocco, exudes from the stem of the juniper in warm climates.