‘ 
MOMORDICA ELATERIUM. ORD. XI. Cucurbitacee. 193 
throws its contents to a considerable distance; hence the name 
Squirting Cucumber. It isa native of the South of Europe, and 
flowers in June and July. 
Since the time of Gerard, the wild cucumber has been regularly 
cultivated in this country for medical use: all the parts of the plant 
are bitter, and strongly purgative,* but the dried juice, or fecule 
of the fruit, known in the shops by the name of Elaterium, is the 
only part now medicinally employed, and has been distinguished 
into white and black Elaterium: the first is prepared from the juice, 
which issues spontaneously, and the latter from that which is ob- 
tained by expression.*. The method directed in the London Pharm. 
for preparing this medicine, is as follows :—* Shit ripe wild cucum- 
bers, and pass the juice (very lightly pressed) through a very fine 
sieve into a glass vessel; then set it by for some hours, until the 
thicker part has subsided. Pour off the thinner part Swimming at 
the top, and separate the rest by filtering; cover the thicker part’ 
which remains after filtration, with a linen cloth, and dry it with a 
gentle heat.” 3 
The sensible qualities of this inspissated juice are not remarkable 
either to the smell or to the taste; it is inflammable, and dissolves 
readily in watery or spirituous menstrua. Elaterium is a very 
powerful cathartic, and was frequently employed as such both by 
the Greek and Arabian physicians, and its use has since been much 
commended in hydropic cases, particularly by Pauli,” Sydenham,‘ 
* Radicum vis cathartica major est quam foliorum, minor vero. quem fractuum. 
Geoff. 
2 This drug was formerly prepared in several different ways, a circumstance ne- 
cessary to be attended to in the history of its medicinal effects. 
b Although §, Pauli employéd this: medicine with great success, yet from the 
extreme violence of its operation, he thinks it should not be used until the milder 
purgatives have failed. 
c ¢¢ Rlaterium sive fecula Cucumeris agrestis, potenter, in permodica quantitate 
vires suas exserit, in conturkanda alyo, & fecibus, cum serosis & aquosis humoribus 
copiose egerendis,” &c. Op. p. 488. 
No, 17. 3c 
a 
