CASTOR FIBER. 



are in pairs, like two testicles united at the upper end. 

 The cods of the Russian castor are large, dry, roundish, 

 heavy, and solid, appearing when cut of a reddish liver color ; 

 those of the American are smaller, hard, oblong, thin, and 

 corrugated on the outside. In each beaver there is a large 

 and small bag, and the castor in the larger bag is always the 

 best. The goodness of the castor is determined by its sen- 

 sible qualities ; that which is quite black is insipid, inodorous, 

 oily, and unfit for use. Castor is said to be sometimes coun- 

 terfeited by a mixture of some gummy and resinous sub- 

 stance with a little real or genuine castor, artificially inter- 

 spersed with membranes and stuffed into the scrotum of the 

 goat. The fraud is easily detected by comparing the smell 

 and taste with those of real castor, and by the deficiency of the 

 sebaceous follicles, which are always attached to the real cods. 



Castor is antispasmodic and emmenagogue. It was for- 

 merly given in combination with myrrh as a specific in quar- 

 tans ; and is still prescribed with seeming advantage in low 

 nervous fevers, hysteria, epilepsy, and spasmodic affections ; 

 and from the idea of its action being particularly determined 

 to the uterine system, it is supposed to prove useful in ame- 

 norrhcea and chlorosis. It may be exhibited either in pow- 

 der or in the form of tincture, but owing to the scarcity and 

 the high price of good castor it is seldom ordered ; and more- 

 over, the materia medico, certainly contains many antispas- 

 modics equally good, and perhaps better. 



Castor is supposed to operate chiefly on the cerebro-spinal 

 nerves. In moderate doses it causes a sensation of heat in 

 the stomach and accelerates the pulse, it enters the circulation 

 and displays the presence of its odorous principle in the 

 urine. Its influence as an antispasmodic was at one time 

 conceived to be considerable, but recent experience has not 

 confirmed this opinion. The dose of castor is from ten 

 grains to one scruple, but it may be given to almost any ex- 

 tent. It is administered also in the form of a tincture. 



Castor has been regarded above as a beneficial emmena- 

 gogue, when the suppression of the catamenia is connected 

 with spasm and hysteria. It is not, however, an emmena- 

 gogue of much value. Dr. Alexander affirms, that it pro- 

 duces very little sensible effect upon the habit, in much larger 

 doses than those in which it is usually given, and he conse- 

 quently condemns it as a useless and inert substance. 



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