OUCURBITACEA. 97 
_ elaterin is immediately separated by addition of ether. I¢ 
_ should be washed with a little ether and recrystallized from 
chloroform. 
Elaterin forms hexagonal tables, insoluble in water, slightly 
soluble in ether, very soluble in alcohol. It gives a carmine 
colour with phenoland H*® SO*. (Fresenius’ Zeit. f. anal. Chem. 
17, 500; 24, 156.) 
Several other cucurbitaceous plants are more or less in use 
medicinally. Among these we may mention Modecca 
palmata, Lam. (Rheede Hort. Mal. viii., 20, 23), the juice 
of which with cocoanut milk is used as a pectoral in Malabar, 
and the roots as an ingredient in strengthening medicines 
( Paushtiks). 
Trichosanthes nervifolia, Linn. (Rheede Hort. Mal. 
_ vtii., 16, 17,) is used in the same part of the country to 
drive away evil spirits. According to Ainslie, the root of 
_Rhynchocarpa feetida, Schrad., is prescribed internally 
in electuary, in cases of piles, and in powder is sometimes 
_ ordered as a demulcent in humoral asthma, The root is about 
_ the size of a man’s finger, light grey, and has a sweet mucila- 
 ginous taste. The Tamil name is Appakovay. 
_ The seeds of AMpelosicyos scandens, Thou., Bot. 
_ Mag. 2681, 2751-2, have been introduced into Bombay from 
Zanzibar as a vermifuge; they are flat and almost circular, 
_ delicate basket work, and is very tough and strong ; the kernel 
_ yields a quantity of bland oil. The entire fruit is from 2 to 3 
4 feet in length and 8 to 10 inches thick, marked with deep — 
2 longitudinal furrows, the inside is divided into from three to six 
_ cells, and often contains as many us 250 seeds, 
11,—13 
