544 SQUILL BROOM 



SQUILL 



SCILLA. The bulb of Urginea scilla, divested of its dry, 

 membranous, outer scales, cut into slices, and dried 

 (B.P.). Nat. Ord. Liliacese. 



The large bulbs of this Mediterranean plant, when sliced 

 and dried, have a faint odour and disagreeable, mucilaginous, 

 bitter, acrid taste. The slices are easily reduced to powder. 

 The active principle is a glucoside scillain or scillitoxin 

 which is soluble in water, acetic acid, and alcohol. 



ACTIONS, USES, AND DOSES. Squill and its active prin- 

 ciple, in full doses, are irritants, causing vomiting and 

 purging ; absorbed into the blood, they lower the pulse- 

 rate and raise blood-pressure ; they are expectorant and 

 diuretic. They resemble digitalis, acting as heart tonics, 

 and producing diuresis. Large doses, or small doses too 

 long continued, induce urinary irritation and hsematuria. 

 Squill is prescribed chiefly in those catarrhal and bronchial 

 cases in which secretion is defective. Robertson gave 

 horses the syrup in f 3iv. doses ; dogs take TT[x. to IT^xv., 

 conjoined, as the exigencies of the case require, with 

 ammonium acetate solution, or camphor electuary. The 

 vinegar and tincture are used in about half the dose of the 

 syrup. Powdered squill is sometimes added to electuaries. 

 Horses may be given 3ij- to ^iv. ; cattle, ^ui. to 3^- 5 

 dogs, gr. i. to grs. viii. ; cats, gr. J to gr. i., in bolus, pill, 

 or drench. 



BROOM 



SCOPARII CACUMINA. The fresh and dried tops of Cytisus 

 scoparius (B.P.). Nat. Ord. Leguminosse. 



The tops and other parts of the shrub contain a natural 

 glucoside, scoparin (C 21 H 22 10 ), which has diuretic pro- 

 perties and a volatile, oily, poisonous alkaloid, sparteine 

 (C 15 H 26 N 2 ), which much resembles conine in some of its 

 actions. It slows the rhythm and lessens the force of the 

 heart, but by contracting arterioles, it causes a slight rise 

 of blood-pressure, and acts as a diuretic. The sulphate of 



