KAMALA 289 



tumbler. "The mixture must not be stirred." The oil floats be- 

 tween some of the syrup below and foam above, and the whole is 

 drunk without stopping. The oil is not tasted at all. The principle 

 of these methods is to have the mouth and tongue moistened with a 

 pleasant flavored liquid (the top layer), upon which the oil will readily 

 slip down. For infants and children, an emulsion made with acacia 

 and flavored syrup may be employed. Bastedo. 



313. TIGLIUM. CROTON SEED. The seed of Cro'ton tig'lium Linne", a small 

 tree indigenous to China, but extensively cultivated in India. The fruit is 

 a smooth capsule about the size of a large hazelnut, 3-celled, each contain- 

 ing a single seed. The seeds are from 12 to 15 mm. (% to % in.) long, 

 oval-oblong, resembling castor-oil seeds in shape but somewhat larger, and 

 quadrangular, and with the caruncle usually absent; the testa is soft, dull 

 yellowish-brown, generally partially, but occasionally wholly, rubbed off 

 from the black tegmen by friction, giving the seeds a mottled or nearly 

 black appearance; albumen and embryo yellowish-brown; odor feeble; 

 taste acrid. It yields about 50 to 60 per cent, of an acrid fixed oil. 



313 a. OLEUM TIGLIT. CROTON OIL. A rather viscid, pale yellowish 

 to brown fixed oil, with a peculiar, faint odor, and an exceedingly 

 hot, acrid taste, continuing in the mouth for several hours. It con- 

 sists of the glycerides of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, formic, 

 acetic, crotinic, C 4 H 6 O2, isobutyric, isovalerianic, and tiglinic, C 5 H 8 O 2 , 

 acids. Saponification value 200 to 215, iodine value 104 to 1 10. The 

 vesicating properties are due to a croton resin. Purgative principle 

 is insoluble in alcohol. Drastic purgative, capable of causing death 

 in excessive doses. Dose: ^ to 2 njj (0.0324 to 0.13 mil), in emulsion. 

 Applied externally in liniment, it is a powerful rubefacient. 



314. CURCAS. PURGING NUTS. The seeds of Cur'cas pur'gans Adanson. 

 Habitat: Brazil, West Indies, and Africa. They resemble croton seeds, 

 but have a dull black, fissured surface and are somewhat milder in action. 

 The purgative principle is ricinoleic acid; they also contain about 40 per 

 cent, of an acrid, colorless fixed oil. 



315. KAMALA. ROTTLERA. The glands and hairs from the capsule of Mallo'- 

 tus philippinen'sis Mueller Arg. Official U.S. P. 1890. A brick-red, mobile, 

 finely granular powder, almost odorless and tasteless, with a gritty feeling 

 between the teeth; excessive grittiness, however, indicates a probable adul- 

 teration with earthy matter, which may be detected by floating it in water. 

 It is inflammable, flashing up like gunpowder, with a red flame. Under the 

 microscope the powder is seen to consist of depressed globular, transparent 

 sacs, containing numerous red, hood-shaped vesicles, and mixed with colorless 

 hairs. Almost insoluble in water; soluble in alcohol, imparting a deep red 

 color to the solution, from which water throws down a resinous precipitate. 

 Flemingia rhodocarpa Baker or Warrus, a leguminous plant indigenous to 

 Eastern Africa, has been employed as substitute. The powder is coarser than 

 kamala, is deep purple, in a water-bath becomes black, and has a slight 

 odor. The glands are cylindrical or subconical. Constituents: Resins (sup- 

 posed to be the active principle) and resinous coloring matters, one of which 

 has been isolated and termed rottlerin, C22H 20 O6. Vermifuge. Dose: I 

 to 2 dr. (4 to 8 Gm.). 



Preparation of Rottlerin. Obtained by exhausting with ether or carbon di- 

 sulphide, evaporating and crystallizing; occurs in yellowish needles; soluble 

 in hot alcohol, ether, benzene, or carbon disulphide; changes on exposure. 



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