us state of the juices, and where the
natural mucus of the intestines is abraded. It is chiefly recommended in
sharp defluxions upon the lungs, hoarseness, dysenteries, and likewise
in nephritic and calculous complaints; not, as some have supposed, that
this medicine has any peculiar power of dissolving or expelling the
calculus; but as, by lubricating and relaxing the vessels, it procures a
more free and easy passage. Althaea root is sometimes employed externally
for softening and maturing hard tumours: chewed, it is said to give ease
in difficult dentition of children.

The officinal preparations are:-Decoctio Althaeae officinalis, and Syrupus
Althaeae.

Similar Plants.--Malva officinalis; M. rotundifolia; M. mauritanica;
Lavatera arborscens.

This root gives name to an officinal syrup [L. E.] and ointment [L.] and
is likewise an ingredient in the compound powder of gum tragacanth [L.
E.] and the oil and plaster of mucilages [L.] though it does not appear
to communicate any particular virtue to the two last, its mucilaginous
matter not being dissoluble in oils.--Lewis's Mat. Med.

167. AMYGDALUS communis. SWEET and BITTER ALMONDS. L. E. D.--The oils
obtained by expression from both sorts of almonds are in their sensible
qualities the same. The general virtues of these oils are, to blunt
acrimonious humours, and to soften and relax the solids: hence their use
internally, in tickling coughs, heat of urine, pains and inflammations:
and externally in tension and rigidity of particular parts.

168. ANCHUSA tinctoria. ALKANET-ROOT. E. D.--Alkanet-root has little or
no smell: when recent, it has a bitterish astringent taste, but when
dried scarcely any. As to its virtues, the present practice expects not
any from it. Its chief use is for colouring oils, unguents, and
plasters. As the colour is confined to the cortical part, the small
roots are best, these having proportionally more bark than the large.

169. ANETHUM graveolens. DILL. The Seeds. L.--Their taste is moderately
warm and pungent; their smell aromatic, but not of the most agreeable
kind. These seeds are recommended as a carminative, in flatulent colics
proceeding from a cold cause or a viscidity of the juices. The most
efficacious preparations of them are, the distilled oil, and a tincture
or extract made with rectified spirit. The oil and simple water
distilled from them are kept in the shops.--Lewis.

170. ANETHUM Foeniculum. FENNEL. See