120 



482. CURCAS MULTIFIDUS, Efldl. ; JATROPHA MULTIFIDA, L. (Coral 



Plant.) 



a. Seeds. (French Physic Nuts, Purguira Nuts, Spanish 



Physic Nuts.) 



b. Fruit and oil. 



Note. These seeds are nearly as powerfully purgative as croton oil 

 seeds, three of them having been known to produce symptoms of poison- 

 ing. See Ind. Pharm., p. 203 ; Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii., pt. i., p. 427. 



483. EUPHORBIA COROLLATA, L. (Large Flowering Spurge, Blooming 



Spurge, Milk Weed.) 



a. Root. 



Note. The root hark is emetic in doses of fifteen to twenty grains, and 

 acts without causing much nausea, but is uncertain in its action. It is 

 official in the secondary list of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. See Amer. 

 Dispens., p. 353. When given, with vinegar, it acts as a purgative. 



484. EUPHORBIA IPECACUANHA, L. (Wild Ipecac, Ipecac Spurge.) 



a. Root. (American Ipecacuanha.) 



Note. The root bark possesses emetic, expectorant, and cathartic pro- 

 perties. It is chiefly used as a hydragogue in dropsical affections, in 

 doses of ten to fifteen grains. Amer. Dispens., p. 356. Its properties 

 are due to a resin. Amer. Journ. Pharm., 1873, p. 255. 



485. EUPHORBIA LATHTRIS, L. (Caper Spurge.) 



a. Seeds. (Semina Cataputice minoris, Grana Regia minora.) 

 Note. This plant is sometimes cultivated in gardens, and known as 

 the Caper plant. The latter, however, belongs to a very different family. 

 The name of the true caper plant is Capparis spinosa. See Treas. Bot., 

 p. 217. The seeds contain an oil insoluble in alcohol, which is powerfully 

 purgative in doses of three to ten drops. Country labourers are said 

 to take the seed as a purge. Lindl. Fl. Med., p. 194; P. J. [2], vol. 

 vii., p. 554. 



486. EUPHORBIA RESINIFERA, Berg. 



a. Stem. 



b. Gum resin. 



c. Ditto, showing the holes caused by the spines of the 



plant. 



Note. This drug is chiefly used as a vesicant in veterinary medicine. 

 It causes considerable irritation of the nostrils and eyes when powdered. 

 Pharmacographia, p. 502 ; Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii., pt. i., p. 401 ; P. J. 

 [3] , vol. ii., p. 1049. It is said to be used as an ingredient in paint for 

 ships' bottoms. See Bentley and Trimen, Med. Plants, tab. 240. 



487. HURA CREPITANS, L. (Sandbox Tree, Monkey's Dinner Bell.) 



a. Fruit. 



Note. The seeds possess purgative and emetic properties, the emetic 

 property being said to reside in the embryo only. See P. J. [1], vol. ix., 

 p. 131. The seeds lose their properties by age. The fruit affords an 

 instance of the regma, and it is from the noise caused by the bursting 

 of the fruit that the plant gets its curious name. Treat. .Bot., p. 603 ; 

 Bentley's Man, Bot. t p. 298. 



