Adulteration. Mechanical impurities, as sand, stones, etc, occasionally met with.

Galbanum. The gum resin derived from an unascertained umbelliferous plant (Galbanum officinale ?). Some doubt exists as to its true origin. It comes from the Levant and India.

Description. In masses of a greenish yellow colour, translucent, or more rarely in separate tears, about the size of a pea. Harder, lighter coloured, of less intense odour, and more agreeable than assafoetida, of a bitter acrid taste.

Prop. & Comp. Galbanum contains less volatile oil than assafcetida. The resin has the composition (C40 Hl7 O7). The volatile oil is generally supposed to contain sulphur; however, the author has examined galbanum with a view of ascertaining the correctness of this opinion, and has failed to detect that element.

Off. Prep. Emplastrum Galbani. Galbanum Plaster. (Galbanum, one ounce; ammoniac, one ounce; yellow wax, one ounce; litharge plaster, eight ounces.) [Emplastrum Galbani Compos-itum. U. S. Galbanum, eight troy ounces; turpentine, a troy ounce; Burgundy pitch, three troy ounces; lead plaster, thirty-six troy ounces.]

Galbanum forms an important ingredient in pilula assafoetidae composita.

Therapeutics. Similar to assafoetida, but less powerful. Externally it is used to indolent tumours, with an idea of its possessing discutient powers. Galbanum is probably allied to ammoniacum in its action, and may be used as a stimulating expectorant.

Dose. Of the gum resin, 10 gr. to 30 gr. or more.

Sagapenum. (Not now officinal.) The gum resin from an unknown plant, belonging to the order Umbelliferae: it is imported from the Levant.

Description. In tears or masses, generally the latter; more yellow than assafoetida; in odour it somewhat resembles that drug.

Prop. & Comp. It contains a small amount of volatile oil, and a large quantity of resin. The author has failed to detect sulphur in the oil which has usually been supposed to contain that element.

Therapeutics. In its action on the system, it is closely allied to assafoetida and galbanum: it is seldom used by itself, but formed a part of the compound galbanum pill of the London Pharmacopoeia, 1851.

Dose. Of the gum resin, 10 gr. to 30 gr. or more.

Opoponax, in London Pharmacopoeia of 1836; a gum resin in tears, obtained from Opoponax chironium. Its properties are similar to those of the other foetid gum-resins.

Ammoniacum. Ammoniac. The gum-resinous exudation from the stem and pedicel of Dorema ammoniacum, indurated by the air; [The concrete juice of Dorema Ammoniacum. U. S.] Lin. Syst., Pentandria digynia; growing in Persia and the Punjaub. Stated to exude from punctures in the plant made by beetles.

Description. In separate tears, or in masses; the tears from two to eight lines in diameter, pale, cinnamon brown colour, fracture smooth, white and opaque, but becoming yellow on exposure; the masses are composed of agglutinated tears presenting an amygdaloid appearance, very similar to some specimens of gum benzoin; ammoniacum is brittle when cold, but softens 17 readily with heat; its odour is slight but peculiar; taste bitter and rather acrid; it forms a milky emulsion when rubbed with water.

Prop. & Comp. Resin, about 7 per cent.; gum, 20 per cent.; volatile oil, 4 per cent. When rubbed with water the resin and oil are suspended by the dissolved gum. The oil differs from that of assafoetida in not containing sulphur.

Off. Prep. Emplastrum Ammoniaci cum Hydrargyro. Ammoniac Plaster with Mercury. (Ammoniac, twelve ounces; mercury, three ounces; olive oil, one fluid drachm; sulphur, eight grains.)

Mistura Ammoniaci. Ammoniac Mixture. (Ammoniac a quarter of an ounce; distilled water, eight fluid ounces.)

Ammoniac is contained also in pilula scillae composita, and emplastrum galbani.

Therapeutics. Less antispasmodic than assafoetida, but it seems more expectorant; it is used chiefly in chronic bronchitic affections. Externally, as a stimulant discutient over indolent tumours, etc.

Dose. Of the gum resin, 10 gr. to 30 gr. or more; of the mixture, 1/2 fl. oz. to 1 fl. oz.

Anisi Oleum. Oil of Anise. The oil distilled from the fruit of Pimpinella anisum, or Anise; Lin. Syst., Pentandria digynia; distilled in Europe. Also from the fruit of Illicium anisatum, Star Anise (natural order, Magnoliaceae), distilled in China.

Description. The mericarps, commonly called seeds, not now officinal, are oblong-ovate, downy, have five primary ridges, three vittae in each channel; of a dingy yellowish-green colour. The volatile oil, oleum anisi, upon which the activity of the mericarp depends, is of a light straw colour; sp. gr. from 0.977 to 0.99.

Prop. & Comp. Oil of anise consists of two portions, one heavier than water, and solid at ordinary temperatures; the other liquid, and more volatile; the former, called stearoptene, is an oxidized compound (C20 H12 O2) and forms four-fifths of the weight of the oil; the latter, or liquid portion, eleoptene is isomeric with oil of turpentine (C20 Hl6).

Therapeutics. Stimulant aromatic, and carminative; used to relieve flatulence, and to diminish the griping of purgative medicines.

Dose. Of the oil, 2 min. to 5 min.

Foeniculum. Sweet Fennel Fruit. The fruit of Foeniculum dulce [vulgare. U. S.], Fennel; Lin. Syst., Pentandria digynia; grows in most parts of Europe, imported fron Malta.

The fruit is about three lines long and one broad, elliptical, slightly curved, beaked, having eight pale brown longitudinal ribs, the two lateral being double.

Description. The mericarps, often called seeds, are oblong, convex on one surface, flat on the other; many of the mericarps are connected together by their flat surfaces, some single, of a dark grayish colour; footstalks often attached. The oil is of a light yellow colour, with the characteristic odour of the seeds.

Prop. & Comp. The oil, which is the active ingredient, is of sp. gr. 0.99; it consists of two parts, one more volatile than the other; the more solid one named stearoptene, the other eleoptene. These appear to have the same composition as the corresponding constituents of the oil of anise.