115 ECBALLIUM ELATERIUM 



or ether ; its alcoholic solutions are neutral ; and it has an 

 extremely bitter and slightly acrid taste. The experiments of 

 Williams prove that when the fruits are exhausted of the free 

 juice from which elaterium is obtained, they contain little if any 

 elaterine; and Kohler found that the percentage of elaterine, 

 even in the free juice of the fruits, gradually diminished as the 

 season advanced, so that in September he was unable to obtain 

 any amount of it whatever. It has also been clearly demonstrated 

 that hot dry weather is favorable to the development of elaterine, 

 and hence elaterium is most powerful when produced in very fine 

 summers. From these circumstances therefore, as well as from 

 its different modes of preparation already noticed, we have fre- 

 quent causes which produce the varying strength of the drug. 

 According to Walz, elaterium also contains a second crystallizable 

 bitter principle, and three amorphous substances. The first prin- 

 ciple he found to be a glucoside, to which he gave the name of 

 proplietin : the others require further examination. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Elaterium is the most powerful 

 hydragogue cathartic that is known, for when prepared by 

 Clutterbuck, without pressure from the fruits, it purged violently 

 in doses of one eighth of a grain ; the usual dose of good 

 commercial elaterium is from -^ to 4 a grain. Considering the 

 varying strength of elaterium from season, climate, time, and mode 

 of preparation, it would be desirable to substitute for it, or at 

 least to introduce into use, its active and definite principle 

 elaterine. The dose of elaterine could easily be regulated by mixing 

 it previously with sugar of milk ; or a solution of definite strength 

 might be ordered in the pharmacopoeia. Elaterium is a valuable 

 remedy in dropsical affections, more especially when connected 

 with disease of the heart. It is also a valuable remedy in renal 

 dropsy. In cerebral affections, such as apoplexy, elaterium is also 

 sometimes useful to relieve plethora and to prevent further 

 effusion. Elaterium should be cautiously administered, as it 

 sometimes causes nausea and great depression ; and in improper 

 doses it may produce violent gastro-enteritis and even death. 

 When locally applied, elaterium acts as an irritant, as is proved by 



