NAT. ORDER. EUPHORBIACE^. 129 



which have already been described in various parts of lliis work, 

 and otliers scarcely known to the majority of the medical profession. 

 Medical Projicrtics and Uses of various plants in this order. The 

 excellent monograph of M. Adricn de Jussien contains the best infor- 

 mation that exists upon this subject, and I accordingly avail myself 

 of it, adding such additional facts as have since been discovered. 

 The general property is that of excitement, which varies greatly ia 

 degree, and consequently in effect. This principle resides chiefly in 

 the milky secretion of the order, and is most powerful in proportion 

 as that secretion is abundant. The smell and taste of a few are 

 aromatic ; but in the greater part the former is strong and nau- 

 seous, the latter acrid and pungent. The hairs of some species are 

 stinging. The bark of various species of Croton is aromatic, as Cas- 

 carilla. ; and the flowers of some, such as Cacturas spidjloras, give 

 a tone to the stomach. Many of them act upon the kidneys, as sev- 

 eral species of P.'ti/llunlhas, the leaves oC Mercurlalis annua, and the 

 root of Ric'uuis cunnnunis. The root of various Euphorbias, the 

 juice of Cummia, Anda, Mercwialis perennis, and others are emetic; 

 and the leaves of Box and Mercwialis, the juice of Eapliorhia, Coni- 

 mia, and ILira, the seeds of Ricinus, Croton tigliiim, &c., are pur- 

 gatives. Many of them are also dangerous, even in small doses, and 

 so fatal in some cases that no practitioner would dare to prescribe 

 them — as, for example, Manchineel. In fact, there is a gradual and 

 insensible transition in this order, from mere stimulants to the most 

 dangerous poisons. The latter have usually an acrid character ; but 

 some of them are also narcotic, as those of PlnjUantliuscs, the leaves 

 of which are thrown into the water to intoxicate fish. Whatever the 

 stimulating principle of EupIiorhiacccB may be, it seems to be of a 

 very volatile nature, because application of heat is sufficient to dissi- 

 pate it. Thus the root of the Jatliropha, Manihot, or Cassava, vvhic|i 

 Avhen raw, is one of the most violent of poisons, becomes a whole- 

 some, nutritious article of food when roasted. In the seeds the albu- 

 men is harmless and eatable, but the embryo itself is acrid and 



