544 SYSTEMATIC BOTAISTY. 



Bryonia dioica. — The fresh root is sold by herbalists under the names of 

 "White Brj'ony ai)d Mandrake root. (The true Mandrake root is, however, 

 derived from Mandragora officincdis. See Mandragora.) It acts violently 

 as an emetic and purgative. In large doses it is poisonous. The root is 

 also employed as aii external application to bruised parts. The young shoots 

 when boiled are eaten as Asparagus. B. alba, B. amei-icana, and B. africana 

 have similar properties. The root of B. epigcea is employed by the natives 

 in India as an alterative in syphilis, SiC. It is also reputed to be a powerful 

 remedy in snake bites. 



CitruUus (Cucumis) Coloajnthis. The Bitter Cucumber or the Bitter 

 Apple. — This plant is supposed to be the icild vine of the Old Testament, the 

 fruit of which is translated in our version wild gourd (2 Kings, iv. 39). The 

 fruit is a well-known drastic hydragogue cathartic. In large doses it is an 

 irritant poison. It is commonly called colocynth. It is said to owe its pro- 

 perties to a neutral bitter principle called colocynthin. Two kinds of colocynth 

 are known in commerce, viz. : Peeled Colocynth, which is imported from 

 Smyrna, Constantinople, Alexandretta, Italy, France, and Spain ; and Mo- 

 gadore, or Unpeeled Colocynth, which is obtained from Mogadore. The former 

 is the best, and is the one generally employed in medicine. It is commonly 

 known as Turkey Colocynth, but that impoi'ted from France and Spain is 

 sometimes distinguished as French and Spanish Colocynth. The Turkey 

 variety is the best. Mogadore colocynth is principally used by chemists for 

 their show-bottles. The seeds possess the purgative property to a slight 

 extent, liut the pulp is by far the most active part of the fruit. 



Ciicirmis.— The fruit of Cucumis sativus is the Cucumber ; that of C. Melo 

 is the Melon. C. trigonus and C. Ilardwickii, both of which are natives 

 of the East Indies, are reputed to be purgative, like the true ofiScinal 

 colocynth. 



Cucuibita. — The fruits of several species of this genus are employed as 

 articles of food. Thus the fruit of C. Citrulhis is the Water-Melon, that of 

 C. Pepo is the White Gourd, that of C. maxima the Red Gourd or Pumpkin, 

 C. Meloptpo the Squash, and that of C. ovifera siiccada is the vegetable 

 marrow. The fruit of some other species or varieties of Cucut^bita are also 

 eaten. The fresh decorticated seeds, and the expressed oil of the seeds of the 

 Pumpkin, are reputed to possess valuable anthelmintic properties in cases of 

 Tfenia. An oil called Egu.<«i by the inhabitants of Yon-uba in Africa, and 

 which is largely used by them for dietetic purposes, and also as a medicine, 

 is supposed to be derived fi'om one or more species of Cucurbita. Some 

 samples of the oil brought to this country by Dr. Daniell were examined by 

 Mr. Wilson, of Price's Patent Candle Company, and reported by him as well 

 adapted for burning, and for the lubrication of machinery and other analogous 

 appliances. 



Ecbalium. officinarnm or agreste (Momordica Elateriiim) is commonly called 

 the Squirting Cucumber, from the fruit separating when ripe from the stalk, 

 and expelling its seeds and juice with much violence {Jig. 934). The feculence 

 deposited from the juice of the fruit, when dried, constitutes the Elaterium 

 of the Materia Medica. In doses of from J- to | of a grain, when pure, it is 

 a powerful hydragogue cathartic. It owes its properties to a white crys- 

 talline, extremely bitter principle, called Elalerine. In improper doses 

 Elaterium is an irritant poison. 



Feuilhea cordifoUa has intensely bitter seeds, which are violently purgative 

 and emeiic ; thus forming a striking exception to the generally hannless 

 properties of Cucurbitaceous seeds. 



Jolliffia africana {Telfairia pedata). — The seeds of this plant yield by ex- 

 pression a very good oil, resembling that obtained from Olives. They have 

 a flavour like almonds, and are eaten in Africa. They have been recently 

 imported into this countrj' on account of their oil. 



Lagenaria vulgaris is commonly called the Bottle Gourd, from the hard 

 integuments of the fruit being used as a receptacle for containing fluid. 



Luffa. — L. purgans and L. drastica. — The fiiiit of these plants is violently 

 purgative. It is commonly called American Colocynth. The fruit of other 

 species has similar'properties. The fmit of Luffa foetida is termed the Sponge 

 Gourd, as it consists of a mass of fibres entangled together, and is used for 



