210 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



so luxuriant is its growth. Flowers yellow, in axillary spikes. 

 Calyx small, 3 sepals. Corolla, 3 fleshy concave petals. Sta- 

 mens 12 in 4 verticils, 9 fertile and 3 inner sterile. Ovary 

 1 -celled, 1-ovuled. Style cylindrical. Drupe globose, 1-2" 

 in diameter, covered by a fleshy envelope, formed by the recep- 

 tacle. Seeds without albumen. 



Habitat. — Luzon, Mindanao, Cebu, on the seashore. 



EUPHORBIACEiE. 



Spurge Family. 

 Euphorbia pilulifera, L. (JEL capitata, Lam.; E. hirta, Blanco.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Golondrina, Sp.-Fil.; Gatasgatas, Batobato- 

 nis, Sayikan, Tag.; Buyayawa, Tawawa, Bowi, Vis.; Malismalis, 

 Svriwhan, Bolobotones, Magatas, Pam. 



Uses. — This plant has a reputation in the Philippines as a 

 haemostatic of great efficiency, for which purpose the whole 

 plant is crushed and applied as a poultice over the wound. 

 Like all members of this family it abounds in milky juice. We 

 have had no occasion to employ it as a haemostatic, but do not 

 doubt its action in view of the effect that it exercises on the 

 circulation and the heart when given internally. In toxic 

 doses experiment has demonstrated that it kills animals by sus- 

 pension of the respiratory movements and those of the heart, 

 w T hich at first beats faster but gradually more slowly. It has 

 no effect upon any other organ and is eliminated by the liver. 



Matheson recommends it as an antispasmodic and has em- 

 ployed it also in dyspnoea of cardiac origin. I have used it in 

 both these conditions in Manila with highly satisfactory re- 

 sults. I have found the most convenient form of administra- 

 tion to be the tincture in doses of 15-40 drops a day given in 

 an infusion of althaea every 3 or 4 hours ; the vehicle should 

 be used liberally as it diminishes the irritant action of the 

 euphorbia on the stomach. A decoction of 15 grams of the 



