ASSAFCETIDA. 253 



ultimately dull yellowish or pinkish -brown. Taste bitter, acrid ; 

 odour fetid, alliaceous, and persistent. It dissolves almost 

 entirely in rectified spirit. 



Composition. Assafcetida contains 4 per cent, of a volatile 

 oil> 65 per cent, of resin, and 25 per cent, of gum. Oil of 

 assafoetida is probably complex, but consists chiefly of sulphide 

 of allyl, C 6 H 10 S, to which the unpleasant odour is due. The 

 resin also contains sulphur. 



Impurities. Earthy matter. 



Substances resembling Assafoetida : Galbanum, Ammoniacum, 

 Benzoin ; known by odour. 



Dose. 5 to 20 gr. 



Preparations. 



1. Enema Assafoetidse. 30 gr. in 4 fl.oz. of water. 



2. Pilula Aloes et Assafcetidse. 1 in 4. (See Aloes, page 359.) 



Dose, 5 to 10 gr. 



3. Pilula Assafoetidse Composita. Syn. : Pilula Galbani Com- 



posita. Assafcetida, 2 ; Galbanum, 2 ; Myrrh, 2 ; Treacle, 

 by weight, 1. Dose. 5 to 10 gr. 



4. Spiritus Ammonia Foe tidus. Assafoetida, 1^ ; Strong Solu- 



tion of Ammonia, 2 ; Spirit, 20. Dose, ^ to 1 fl.dr. 



5. Tinctura Assafcetidas. 1 in 8. Dose, % to 1 fl.dr. 



ACTION AND USES. 

 1. IMMEDIATE LOCAL ACTION AND L'SES. 



Assafcetida possesses the action of other volatile oils and 

 resin upon the alimentary canal, but differs from them in this 

 highly important respect, that whilst most of them are 

 aromatic and pleasant to the palate, it is extremely disagreeable. 

 The mental effect of this nauseous impression, added to the other 

 stimulant effects on the mouth and stomach (see Caryophyllum, 

 page 242), constitute assafeetida a powerful nervine stimulant, 

 which arrests the emotional disturbance, muscular spasms, and 

 other morbid nervous disorders of hysteria. It is no longer 

 used in true epilepsy, chorea, laryngismus, or asthma. The 

 stimulant action of volatile oils on the bowel (see Terebinthina 

 page 343) is specially marked and is employed in the 

 Enema Assafcetidae to expel flatulence, relieve constipation, and 

 arrest convulsions. 



2. ACTION IN THE BLOOD ; SPECIFIC, AND REMOTE LOCAL 

 ACTION AND VSER. 



The volatile oil of assafoetida passes through the blood and 

 tissues, and is excreted in the urine, sweat, breath, and dis- 



