>7S 



EUPUORBIACE^. 



[Diclinous Exocens. 



• The roots of some are emetic. According to Deslongehamps, the powdered root of E. 

 Gerardiana vomits easily in doses of 18 or "20 grains. The root of Euphorbia Ipecacu- 

 anha is said, by Barton, to be equal to the true I pccacuanha, in some respects superior ; 

 and not unpleasant either in taste or smell. E. Pithyusa in the Mediterranean is also 

 esteemed. Euphorbia thymifolia is somewhat aromatic and astringent, and is prescribed 

 in India in the diarrhoea of children, and as a vermifuge. In the same way is employed 

 E. hypericifolia, a plant of tropical America, which is astringent and somewhat narcotic. 

 Nevertheless E. balsamifera has no such qualities, and is eaten when cooked. E. mauri- 

 tanica is also employed aa a condiment, but its acridity is by no means inconsiderable ; 

 they say it is used to adulterate Scammony. The sap of E. phosphorea shines with a 

 phosphorescent light in a warm night in the ancient forests of Brazil. 



The genus Pedilanthus stands nearest to Euphorbia, and is not less potent in its qua- 

 lity ; P. tithymaloides has an acrid bitter milk ; a decoction of the dried shrub of u ami 

 P. padifolius (called Jewbush) is employed in syphilitic cases, and in amenorrhoea ; the 

 root is emetic. Some of the trees again are among the most poisonous of all that tro- 

 pical countries produce. The juice of Excaecaria Agalloeha, and even its smoke when 

 burnt, affects the eyes with intolerable pain, as has been experienced occasionally 

 by sailors sent ashore to cut fuel, who, according to Rumphius, having accidentally 

 rubbed their eyes "vilh the juice, became blinded, and ran about like distracted men, 

 and some of them linally lost their sight. This juice is described as being thick, nau- 

 seous, and a violent purgative. The smoke of the burning branches is said to injure 

 the eyesight. Agallochum or Aloes wood, an inflammable, fragrant, resinous suDstance, 

 has been supposed to belong to this plant, but is really produced by quite a different 

 race. See AquilahiacEjK. The famous Manchineel tree, Hippomane Mancinella, is said 

 to be so poisonous that persons have died from merely sleeping beneath its shade. 

 This is doubted, indeed, by Jacquin, who, however, admits its extremely venomous 

 qualities ; but it is by no means improbable that the story has some foundation in truth, 

 particularly if, as Ad. de Jussieu truly remarks, the volatile nature of the poisonous 

 principle of these plants is considered, and the various degrees of susceptibility of such 

 influences in the human constitution. The juice of Manchineel is pure white, and a 

 single drop of it falling on the skin burns like fire, forming an ulcer often difficult to 

 heal. The fruit, which is beautiful, and looks like an apple, is turgid with a similar 

 fluid, but in a milder form ; the burning it causes in the lips of those who bite it guards 

 the careless from the danger 

 of eating it. The juice of 

 Hura crepitans is stated to 

 be of the same fatal nature as 

 that of Excascaria ; its seeds 

 are said to have been admi- 

 nistered to negro slaves as 

 purgatives, in number not 

 exceeding 1 or 2, with fatal 

 consequences. The juice of 

 Sapium aucuparium isreputed 

 poisonous. A case is men- 

 tioned by Tussac of a gar- 

 dener whose nostrils became 

 swollen and seized with ery- 

 sipelatous phlegmasis, in con- 

 seqence of the fumes only of 

 this plant. The sap of Com- 

 mia cochinchinensis is white, 

 tenacious, emetic, purgative, 

 and deobstruent. Cautiously 

 administered, it is said to be 

 a good medicine in obstinate 

 dropsy and obstructions. 



The juice of this Order is not, however, always as dangerous as in the instances just 

 given. That of Siphonia elastica, a tree inhabiting Guavana and Brazil, yields the 

 bottle India Rubber, which is known in Europe ; in preparing it the natives smear clay 

 moulds with repeated layers of the juice, at the same time drying it in smoke. Aleu- 

 rites triloba, whose seeds will be mentioned presently, exudes a gummy substance which 

 the natives of Tahiti chew ; A. laccifera furnishes gum lac in Ceylon ; and the secre- 

 tions of certain Crotons, viz. Draco and sanguiferum, become a similar red substance 

 in the tropical parts of America. 



Among the crowd of emetic and purgative plants having more or less reputation 



CXC1V 



Fig. CXCIV. — Fruit of Hun crepitans. 



