part ii. Materia Medica. — Juniperus communis. 34.3

in 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 powdered leaves is from grs. v. to grs. x. two or three timesa day.

Officinal preparations. Oleum volatile Juniperi Sibince, E. D.Extractum Sabince, D. Ceratum Sabince, L.

2. Juniperus communis. 'Officinal. — Juniperi bacc^e et cacumina, Lond. Juniperi com-munis baccs:, Edin. Juniperus ; BAcca?, Dub. Juniper berries.

Syn. Genevrier ordinaire (F.), Wachholderbeeren (<?.), Ginepro (/.), Embro(S.).

The common juniper is indigenous, growing on heaths andchalky hills, 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 bracresj the male flowers yellow atfirst, and afterwards brown, with great abundance of pollen;the female smaller, and of a yellowish-green coiour. 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. 1

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 afresher and more beautiful bloom upon them than the German,and are therefore generally preferred. They are imported inbags.

Qualities. — Juniper berries have a peculiar, aromatic odour,and a sweetish, pungent, bitterish taste when chewed. In dis-tillation with water they yield a volatile, terebinthinate oil of agreenish colour, on which their virtues depend. 3 Both waterand alcohol extract their active properties. Their principalconstituents are mucus, saccharine matter, and volatile oil.

Medical properties and uses.- —Juniper berries are diureticand cordial. They have been long known as a remedy inhydropic affections; but they cannot be depended on alone,although they form an excellent adjunct to foxglove and squill.

1 'ApKtvQos niKpa Dioscoridis.

■ The resinous substance known by the name cf Sandarach. which is broughtfrom Morocco, exudes from the stem of the juniper in warm climates.

3 The flavour and diuretic properties of Hollands depend on this oil. Englishgin is flavoured by oil of turpentine.

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