ALMOND

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) The seed or kernel of the Amygdalns communis. Sweet almonds afford, in the 100 parts, 54 of fixed oil, 24 of albuminous mallei-, 0 gum ami sugar, 4 woody fihre, 5 husk, and 4 water and lo . Bitter almonds contain le fixed oil, and a peculiar principle termed Amygdalin. When bitter almonds are cold pre ed, the oil which exudes contains no trace of pru ic acid; when hot pre ed, its flavour may be perceived: the cake remaining after pre ure yields a volatile oil by distillation, the quantity and strength of wliich in pru ic acid is variable. The oil of bitter almonds is about the specific gravity of water; that which pa es first over is most poisonous. It changes when exposed to air, and forms benzoic acid: in close ve els it may be long kept without deterioration. When used in medicine, are is requisite on account of its varying strength. Half an ounce of oil of bitter almonds was put into the mouth of a Newfoundland dog (in a diseased state and moaning with pain), with the intention of immediately kill in;; it; hut after some slight convulsions the animal became tranquil, appeared easier, and recovered the effect: tibout a drachm54 of recently and carefully prepared oil was [s. 48]