_Linseed, or Common Flax Seed._
These seeds contain a large proportion of mucilage, and one-sixth of
their weight of fixed oil; the former of which resides principally in
the cuticle, the latter, in the parenchymatous portion of the seed; by
infusion in boiling water, a clear, colourless, inodorous, and nearly
insipid mucilage is obtained; ℥ss of the unbruised seed is sufficient
for oj of water; cold water does not extract any mucilage from them when
unbruised; the farina of the seeds is well adapted for cataplasms.
OFFICINAL PREP. _Infus. Lini Comp:_ L. _Oleum Lini_. L. E. D.