ALMOND

ALMOND, Amygdala, a kind of Fruit, enclosed with a thick Stone, and under a thin Skin. See FRUIT. The Almond is the Produce of a pretty tall Tree, resembling a Peach Tree; frequent in Germany, France, and the neighbouring Countries; as also in Barbary, &c.—Its Flowers are pentapetalous, and ranged in the Rose manner: The Pistil becomes a fleshy Fruit, containing a Seed, which is the Almond; and which drops out when the Fruit is arrived at Maturity. eee Almonds are chiefly of two Kinds, Sweet and Bitters. The Sweet Almonds, Amygdale Dulces, are of a soft, grateful Taste; and are reputed cooling, healing, emollient, and nutritive: are much prescribed in Emulsions, and found of good effect in all Disorders from choleric and acrimonious Humours.—The Oil of Sweet Almonds, drawn without Fire, is a safe and useful Remedy in nephritic Pains. It is also of good repute for Costiveness and Gripes in Children.



For the manner of procuring the Oil of Sweet Almonds, see the Article OIL. Bitter Almonds, Amygdala Amara, are held aperient, detersive, and diuretic; and on those Accounts commended in Obstructions of the Liver, Spleen, Uterus, &c.—Some esteem them good to take off the Effects of Drunkenness.Accordingly, Plutarch relates, that Drusus’s Physician, a stout Drinker, took down at every Cup five Bitter Almonds, to allay the Heat and Fumes of the Wine.The expressed Oil of Bitter Almonds, is much used to soften and deterge the Wax out of the Ear.—Some affirm, that Bitter Almonds bruised, kill or stupify Fowl; so that they may be taken with the Hands: which, they say, is a Secret practised among the Bohemians: And that the Husks remaining after the Oil is expressed, have the same Effect.The Word Almond comes from the French Amande;which Assewage derives from the Latin Amandala, a Term occurring in the Capitulars of Charlemagne: Others rather derive it from the Greek amygdalos, which signifies the same thing.Almonds give the Denomination to a great Number of Preparations in Confectionery, Cookery, &c. whereof they are the Basis; as Almond Cakes, Almond Cream, Crisp’d Almonds, Almond Milk, Almond Paste, Almond Snow, etc. Almonds of the Throat, called also Tonsils, and improperly Almonds of the Ears. See TONSIL. They are two round Glands, placed on the Sides of the Basis of the Tongue, under the common Membrane of the Fauces, with which they are covered, See GLAND, TONSIL, etc. Each of them has a large oval Sinus, which opens into the Fauces; wherein are contained a great Number of lesser ones, which discharge through the great Sinus a mucous and slippery Matter into the Fauces, Larynx, and Oesophagus, for the moistening and lubricating of those Parts. See LARYNX, etc.When the Oesophagus Muscle acts, it compresses the Almonds; and as they are subject to Inflammation, they frequently are the Occasion of what the common People call a sore Throat. See OESOPHAGUS, RAUCIDITY, etc. Almond-Furnace, or Arman-Furnace, is a peculiar kind of Furnace, used in Refining; to separate all kinds of Metals from Cinders, parts of Melting-Pots, Tests, Bricks, etc. See FURNACE, and REFINING. The Almond-Furnace, called also the Sweep, is usually six Feet high, four wide, and two thick; built of Brick, and having a Hole in the middle of the Top, eight Inches over;which grows narrower towards the bottom, where, on the Fore-part it ends in a Point, encompassed with a Semicircle of Iron, to keep the melted Metal.—About the middle of the Back, there is another Hole, to receive the Nose of a pair of Bellows, which require the continual Strength of two Men to work.The Matter, then, on which the Operation is to be performed, being beat small, they kindle Charcoal in the Furnace, to anneal it; and when hot, they throw in two or three Shovelfuls of Coals to one of the aforementioned Stuff;and so proceed during the whole Work, putting Layer upon Layer of one and the other. After eight or ten Hours the Metal begins to run; and when the Receiver below is pretty full, they ladle it out with an Iron Ladle, and cast it in Sows, in Cavities, or Forms made with Ashes.

ALMOND