8 1 EUPHORBIA CE^. 



» 



exercising a remarkable power of coagulation, so.tliat the blood 

 coming into contact with a minute quantity that has been 

 absorbed is coagulated, blocks the lumina of the intestinal 

 capillaries, and causes thrombosis and ecchymosis. Even when 

 introduced subcutaneously, the principal action of the poison 

 appears to ocenr in the intestinal canal, and not at the place of 

 injection. The lethal dose for a man weighing sixty kilograms 

 is estimated as 0'18 gram, and it is stated that this quantity is 

 contained in the press-cake from 3 grams of peeled seeds. In 

 view of this fact, that the residue from the pressing of castor 

 oil contains such large quantities of a tasteless poison exceeding 

 arsenic in toxic power, and at present not to be detected in 

 the body by any known method, Herr Stillmark raises the 

 question, whether it should not be made compulsory upon 

 manufacturers to burn the cake, or render it harmless by a 

 process of boiling that would destroy the ferment. Experiments 



made 



mha 



each case a poisonous albuminoid substance was separated, 

 similar to, if not identical with, ricin, and belonging to the 

 class of ferments. It is pointed out by the author that the 

 coagulating power of ricin explains the external application 

 in some countries of crushed Ricinus seeds as a haemostatic. 

 {Pharm. Journ., Kov, 2nd, 1889.) 



Com^nerce. — Several varieties of the castor plant are cultivat- 

 ed in India : they may be divided into large-seeded and small - 

 seeded. The seeds of the latter variety only are exportea, 

 those of the former being used in India for the preparation 

 of an inferior kind of oil which is used for lubricating 

 machinery, &c. 



The exports of seed from 1885-86 to 1888-89 were : 



1^85-86 34,000 tons, valued at 30 lakhs of 



1886-87 31,000 „ „ 29 „ 



pees 



^8S7-88 36.000 .. „ 34 „ 



1888-89 29,000 ,. 31 



9» 1> ^^ ff 99 



Most 



