﻿446 RICHMOND AND VIVENCIO DEL ROSARIO. 



oil. The nuts may he obtained in quantities in nearly all Philippine 

 market places. 



Jatropha curcas. — A shrubby tree 8 to 10 feet high, common through- 

 out the Philippines, having been introduced from Mexico ; it is cultivated 

 for hedges in the towns and along the roadways. The seeds of this plant 

 in shape and size are similar to a large, ground-nut kernel and yield from 

 30 to 40 per cent of a yellow oil. These seeds are called purging or 

 physic nuts by the English and the expressed oil is the well-known curcas 

 oil of commerce. According to Tavera 12 the oil is used for purposes of 

 illumination in some parts of the Philippines and is exported to Europe 

 to adulterate soaps and candles. 



A recent examination of purging nuts from Lagos 13 gave the follow- 

 ing results : 



"The kernels constitute (Hi per cent of the whole weight of the seeds. Extrac- 

 tion with ether of the desiccated seeds yields 52 per cent of a yellow oil of a 

 faint, peculiar odor and a bland, nutty taste. The oil furnishes the following 

 constants : " 



Specific gravity at 15° (.'. 0.019 



Free acid value 4.47 



Free acid calculated as oleic acid 2.25 



Saponification value 204 



Iodine value 09.1 



Ester value 199.5 



Neutral oil 97.70 



Curcas oil has been examined previously by several observers whose 

 results vary within limits given in the following table: 



Specific gravity 0.919-0.925 

 Free fatty acids (calculated as oleic acid), 



per cent .30-11.8 



Saponification value 102-210 



Iodine value 98-110 



This oil belongs to the class of semidrying oils. It is employed in the 

 manufacture of soaps and candles and also as an illuminant and lubricant, 

 but because of its drying properties it is not well adapted for the last- 

 mentioned purpose. It is a strong purgative and in India it is used 

 medicinally. 



Physic nuts examined in the laboratory gave 45 per cent of hulls 

 and 55 per cent of kernels, the latter yielded by extraction with chloro- 

 form 63.05 per cent of oil, which corresponds to 34.65 per cent calculated 

 on undecorticated seeds. Because of its purgative action the seed cake 

 left after expression of the oil would be unsuitable as a cattle food. Its 

 fertilizer value is given in Table III. 



12 Medicinal Plants of the Philippines. Manila (1001). 216. 

 "'Bull. I mi,. Tnst. ( 1004). 2, 170. 



