250 MATERIA MEDIC A AND THERAPEUTICS. 



Source. Made by pressing the juice from the incised fruit, 

 straining, filtering, and drying the sediment. 



Characters. In flattened or slightly incurved pieces about 1 line 

 thick ; light, greenish-grey, friable. 



Impurities. Starch, flour, and chalk ; detected by ordinary 

 tests. 



Dose. & to gr. 



from JUlaterium is prepared : 



Pulvis Elaterii Compositus. 1 to 9 of Sugar of Milk. 

 Dose, ^ to 5 gr. 



ACTION AND USES. 



Elaterium acts much like colocynth, as a gastro-intestinal 

 irritant, but is decidedly more violent, being the most powerful 

 hydragogue purgative which we possess. It produces, even in 

 doses of ^ to ^ gr., numerous very watery motions, with 

 griping and considerable depression. 



Elaterium is used almost entirely as a hydragogue purgative 

 in dropsies and uraemia, relieving the venous pressure by free 

 evacuation of fluid into the bowel. More rarely it is given as a 

 rapid " derivative " in cerebral cases ; and still more rarely as 

 an evacuant in obstinate constipation. This drug must be 

 used with caution, doses of tV grain being given at first, as the 

 strength in elaterin is uncertain. It must not be ordered in 

 catarrhal states of the stomach or bowels. 



UMBELLIFER^E. 



Coiiii Folia HEMLOCK LEAVES. The fresh 

 leaves and young branches of Spotted Hemlock, 

 Conium maculatum ; also the leaves separated from 

 the branches and carefully dried ; gathered from 

 wild British plants when the fruit begins to form. 



Characters. Fresh leaves decompound, smooth, arisingfrom 

 a smooth stem with dark purple spots ; dried leaves of a full 

 green colour and characteristic odour. The leaf rubbed with 

 solution of potash gives out strongly the odour of conia. 



Dose, in powder. 2 to 8 gr. 



Conii Fnictus HEMLOCK FRUIT. The dried 

 ripe fruit of Qonium maculatum, Spotted Hemlock. 



Characters. Broadly ovate, compressed laterally; half- 

 fruit with five waved or crenated ridges. Reduced to powder 



