PURGING. 107 



liable to generate such symptoms of disordered bowels as will 

 not dispose us to repeat the experiment. Even a half ounce 

 dose is not to be risked. In doses of half a drachm and a 

 drachm, we give it occasionally in combination with aloes, the 

 operation of which it renders more brisk. By itself, and of 

 these last quantities, I gave it in one disease with peculiarly 

 good effect : but then it had no purgative action on the 

 bowels. 



Croton Seed is a purgative of whose use I am able to 

 speak in a more satisfactory manner. It appears that, in 

 India, both the wood and seeds are medicinally used : in 

 this country the seeds only are exhibited. Mr. Hodgson, 

 V. S. to the Company^s artillery, informed me, that the 

 natives roast the seeds; a process found to render them 

 milder in their operation ; and that a physician of his ac- 

 quaintance in India, prescribes a seed so prepared in com- 

 bination with six grains of calomel, to be made into four 

 pills : two of these pills are to be given at bed-time, and the 

 remainder twelve hours afterwards, unless the first dose 

 should have operated. Mr. Hodgson made some experiments 

 with the roasted seeds on horses. He found their operation 

 uncertain ; though, when it did take place, very violent. 

 The croton seed is about the size and shape of a tick bean, 

 and of a brownish colour. When slit open it exhibits a 

 strong capsule, inclosing an oleaginous kernel ; and between 

 the two a light-coloured pellicle adhering to both, but most 

 intimately to the latter ; it does this apparently through the 

 intervention of a volatile powder, which is very apt to fly up 

 into the eyes and mouth, and occasion considerable irritation 

 when the capsule is opened. The kernel itself is composed 

 of about one-fifth oil, mostly separable by expression, and of 

 a farinaceous residue. The latter becomes caked during the 

 extraction of the oil, and requires for the separation of its 

 particles to be ground ; after which we obtain it in the form 

 of a light brown oleaginous farina ; and this is the shape 

 in which it is at present generally used in veterinary 

 medicine. 



Croton is apt to be even more protracted in its operation 



