SIN A PIS. 199 



many purposes of emetics in general. Its special advantages 

 consist in its certainty ; the absence of local irritation of the 

 stomach ; the readiness with which it can be given hypodermi- 

 cally, that is, to patients unable to swallow, as a small non- 

 irritant injection; and the absence of after-effects. Its 

 expectorant action has been but little employed. 



Rkoeados Petala RED-POPPY PETALS. The 

 fresh petals of Papaver Jtlhoeas. From indigenous 

 plants. 



Characters. Of a scarlet colour and heavy poppy odour. 



Composition. Red poppies contain a large quantity of 

 colouring matter, readily soluble in water, consisting of two 

 acids, papaveric and rhceadic acids ; also an alkaloid rhceadin, 

 C. 21 H 21 N0 6 , without narcotic properties. Eed poppies contain 

 no morphia. 



Preparation. 



Syrupus Rhoeados. 1 in 3^. Dose, 1 fl.dr. 



ACTION AND USES. 

 Syrup of red poppies is used as a colouring agent only. 



CRUCIFERJ^ 



Sinapis MUSTARD. The seeds of Sinapis Nigra. 

 and Sinapis Alba ; also the seeds reduced to powder, 

 mixed. 



Characters of the Powder. Greenish-yellow, of an acrid 

 bitterish oily pungent taste, scentless when dry, but exhaling 

 when moist a pungent penetrating peculiar odour, very irritating 

 to the nostrils and eyes. Impurity. Starch ; a decoction cooled 

 should not be made blue by tincture of iodine. 



Substances resembling black mustard : Colchicum seeds, 

 which are larger, lighter, and not quite round. 



Composition. The seeds of sinapis nigra contain : (1) about 

 35 per cent, of a bland fixed oil. When this has been removed 

 by expression, and the powdered mustard mixed with water 

 and distilled, there is obtained (2) the officinal volatile oil, Oleum 

 Sinapis, C 4 H 5 NS. This is a colourless or pale yellow body, 

 nearly insoluble in water, of intensely penetrating odour, 

 burning taste, and blistering action on the skin. As the seeds 

 and powder of the mustard are devoid of these irritant pro- 

 perties, the oil cannot exist ready formed in them, but is 



