252 EDPHOBBIACEM. 



and only a faintly yellowish-red tint was produced by their 

 addition. 



The alkaline ether extract contained an alkaloidal principle 

 which crystallized in fine colourless feathery crystals ; it 

 possessed no bitter taste. With Frohde*s reagent in the cold 

 a very faint-yellow tint was produced, which was changed to 

 greenish on gently warming. Concentrated nitric acid gave a 

 yellowish tint. Sulphuric acid and potassium bichromate no 

 colour reaction. 



EUPHORBIA TIRUCALLI, Linn. 



Fig,—B/ieede, Hori. Mai. iL, t. 44. Milk-bush {Eng.), 

 Euphorbe antivenerien {Fr.). 



Hab.— Africa. Cultivated in India and the East. The 

 juice and bark. 



Vernacular.--Biv-\i-t\ohsLr, Bar-ki-sehund {Hind.), Kdda- 

 nivali {Mar.), Netrio-thora, Thora-danaddlio [Guz.), Kalh- 

 kombu [Tarn.), Kada-Jemudu [Tel.), Bonta-kalli, Kada-nevali 

 {Can.), Tiru-kalli [Mai), Lanka-sij [Beng.). 



History, Uses. &c.— This shrub has been introduced 

 into the East from Africa, and is much used for making fences 

 round cultivated fields, as cattle will not break through it 

 owing to the acrid nature of the milky juice. The earliest notice 

 of E. TirucaUi that we know of is in the Karmis, which was 

 written about the middle of the 14th century; it is there called 

 \ih^ (dihan), the name by which it is still known in Arabia 

 (Forskahl), and is described as a noxious plant, used to poison 

 wild beasts. The plant is not mentioned in the Nighantas, 

 but the juice is in general use among the natives ol India as a 

 purgative, and, applied locally, as a counter-irritant. Rheede 

 states that a decoction of the root is given in certain cases of 

 coHc, and that the milky juice mixed with melted butter is 

 prescribed as a purge. It is the Ossifraga ladea of Eumphius, 

 who says that the bark is applied in Java to fractures. Accord- 

 ing to Horafield, the Javanese, who call it Kayoo-oorh, also use 



