NAT. ORDER. — EUPUORBlACEiE. • . 133 



From the seeds of Jatropha glauca the Hindoos prepare, by careful 

 expression, an oil which, from its stimulating quality, they recom- 

 mend as an external application in cases of chronic rheumatism and 

 paralytic affections. The seeds of Jatropha Curcas are purgative 

 and occasionally emetic. An expressed oil is obtained from them 

 which is reckoned a valuable external application in itch and herpes. 

 It is also used, a little diluted, in chronic rheumatism. The varnish 

 used by the Chinese for covering boxes is made by boiling this oil 

 with oxide of iron. The leaves are considered as rubefacient and 

 disculieat ; the milky juice is supposed to have a detergent and 

 healing quality, and dyes linen black. The roots of the Jatropha 

 Manihot, Mandiocca, yields a flour of immense importance in South 

 America. This is obtained by crushing the roots after the bark has 

 been removed, and then straining olT the water; after which the 

 mass is gradually dried in pans over a fire. The seeds of several 

 species of Jatropha are purgative, but they sometimes act so dan- 

 gerously as to require extreme caution in administering them. Mcr- 

 curiulis 2>iircnnis is purgative and dangerous. It sometimes produ- 

 ces violent vomiting, incessant diarrhoea, a burning heat in tlie head, 

 a deep and long stupor, convulsions, and even death; yet tin's very 

 plant, when boiled, has been eaten as a pot-herb. Tlie seeds of 

 Omphalca are eaten safely if tlie embryo is first removed — if this is 

 not done, they are cathartic. Both Pcdilantkus tithymaloides and 

 PadifoUus are used medicinally in the West Indies. The former, 

 known under the name of Ipecacuanha, is used for the same purpo- 

 ses as that drug — the latter called the Jew Bush, or Milk Plant, is 

 used in decoction of the recent plant as an antisyphilitic, and in cases 

 of suppression of the menses. The purgative qualities of Ricinus, 

 the Caster Oil plant, is well known ; the root is said to be diuretic. 

 The juice of Supiujn auciiparium is reputed poisonous. A case is 

 mentioned by Tussac of a gardener whose nostrils became swollen 

 and seized with erysipelatous phlcgmasis, in consequence of the 

 fumes only of this plant. The root of Tragia involucrata is reckoned 



