PAOLO ANIMUCCIA

paolo animuccia, a brother of giovanni, was also celebrated as a composer; he is said by fetis to have been _maestro di capella_ at s. giovanni in laterano from the middle of january 1550 until 1552, and to have died in 1563. anise (_pimpinella anisum_), an umbelliferous plant found in egypt and the levant, and cultivated on the continent of europe for medicinal purposes. the officinal part of the plant is the fruit, which consists of two united carpels, called a cremocarp. it is known by the name of aniseed, and has a strong aromatic taste and a powerful odour. by distillation the fruit yields the volatile oil of anise, which is useful in the treatment of flatulence and colic in children. it may be given as _aqua anisi_, in doses of one or more ounces, or as the _spiritus anisi_, in doses of 5-20 minims. the main constituent of the oil (up to 90%) is anethol, c_{10}h_{12}o or c_{6}h_{4}[1.4](och_{3})(ch:ch.ch_{3}.) it also contains methyl chavicol, anisic aldehyde, anisic acid, and a terpene. most of the oil of commerce, however, of which anethol is also the chief constituent, comes from _illicium verum_ (order _magnoliaceae_, sub-order _wintereae_), indigenous in n.e. china, the star-anise of _liqueur_ makers. it receives its name from its flavour, and from its fruit spreading out like a star. the anise of the bible (matt. xxiii. 23) is _anethum_ or _peucedanum graveolens_, _i.e._ dill (_q.v._).