: 61-3 
with the thorns, is easily removed, leaving a slimy, sweet, succulent substance, 
which is eaten. Hunger and destitution frequently compel Indians and white men 
to live for many days on this food. A yellowish white gum often oozes out of the 
leaves of the Ofzztza, which is also eaten.” 
History and Habitat.—This species is indigenous to the sandy fields of the 
Atlantic and Pacific seaboards, as well as the arid lands of the southwestern por- 
tion of North America; it is also found in Europe. It habits rocky places and dry 
sands, where it flowers in June and July at the north. 
The fruit is edible and at the same time a pleasant diuretic, though it renders 
the urine a bloody tinge; the taste is acid and cool, much resembling the Pome- 
granate. Rafinesque states* that the split joints make a good emollient applica- 
tion for acute rheumatism, and, when baked, for chronic ulcers, gout, and recent 
wounds; the juice and gummy exudation, he says, is used in gravel. Dr. Porcher 
says+ he is informed that a decoction of the joints is mucilaginous, and much used 
in Alabama as a demulcent drink in pulmonic and pleuritic affections. Merat} 
claims that the cut joints are discutient. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The fresh flowers and green ovaries 
are chopped and pounded to a pulp and weighed, Then two parts by weight 
of alcohol are taken, the pulp thoroughly mixed with one-sixth part of it and the 
rest of the alcohol added. The whole is then poured into a well-stoppered vial, 
and allowed to stand eight days in a dark, cvol place. The tincture, separated 
from this mass by filtration, should have a slightly opaque straw-color by trans- 
mitted light; a slight odor of the flowers; a bitterish and astringent taste; and an 
acid reaction. | : 
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—An analysis of the fruit was made by Mr. 
W. W. Light,§ and resulted in the determination of: Tartaric acid, C,H,O,; citric 
acid mucilage, and coloring-matter. In the seeds a fixed oil, a fat acid, albumen, 
starch and glucose were found, but no glucoside nor alkaloid. 
PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION.—According to the experiments made by Drs. 
Burdick,|| Kunze and Fitch,] with doses varying from a small portion to a drachm 
of the tincture, the effects are as follows: Mental disturbances; acute pain in the 
globe of the eye; epistaxis; nausea in both stomach and bowels as if diarrhoea 
would set in; urging to stool; urine red, increased; coldness; and various pains, 
principally about the joints. | 
DescriPTION OF PLATE 61. 
4, ‘Two joints in flower and leaf, Salem, Mass., July 3d, 1885. 
«43. Section of flower, stamens and floral envelope removed. 
To a eg. Seamed. 
4. Stigma. 
5. Fruit. 
o> = 6. Seeds. 
(3, 4 and 6 enlarged. ) 
+ Resoure. South. Fields and Forests, 6. ¢ Dict. Univ. de Mat. Med., vi, 4. 
| VA. Four. of Hom. 1874 48. { Trans. Ec. Med. Soc., 1875. 
