542 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETA.BLE KINGDOM. 



the spike; the female flowers occupy the upper 

 part, and have the calyx cut into three narrow 

 segments, of a reddish colour. The capsule is a 

 large, three-celled nut, covered with tough spines 

 and contains three flattish, oblong seeds, which 

 are forced out on the bursting of the capsule. 

 It flowers in July and August. 



This plant was most prohably familiar to the 

 ancients, for it is conjectured to be the Jciki or 

 croton, of Dioscorides, who describes the seeds 

 as powerfully cathartic. It is also mentioned 

 as a rather violent and irritating cathartic by 

 Etius, Paulus ^gineta, and Pliny; and most 

 probably obtained this character from giving the 

 bruised seeds along with the membranes, which 

 latter produce a griping, iri-itating effect. 



This plant was first introduced into England 

 in 1562, in the time of Turner; and is now 

 common border plant in gardens, where it often 

 attains the height of ten feet, and forms a splendid 

 ornamental flower. For this purpose it requires 

 to be sown in pots early in the season, kept in 

 the hot-house' for some time, and then trans- 

 planted into light rich soil. 



The oil is obtained from the seeds by expres- 

 sion, in a similar way as that already described 

 in obtaining the other vegetable oils. 



The oil obtained without heat, or the "cold 

 drawn," is the purest, and has little or no colour 

 It is a clear, limpid, almost tasteless, and odour- 

 less fluid, not liable to become rancid. The oil 

 obtained by heating, or parching the seeds, has 

 more colour, but according to the opinion of some 

 is more bland, and less liable to gripe than the 

 other. The manner of obtaining the oil in 

 Jamaica is as follows: The seeds being freed 

 from the husks or pods, which are gathered upon 

 their turning brown, and when beginning to 

 burst open, are first bruised in a mortar, after- 

 wards tied up in a linen bag, and then thrown 

 into a large pot with a sufficient quantity of 

 water, about eight gallons to one of the seeds; 

 and then boiled till the oil has risen to the sur- 

 face, when it is carefully skimmed off, strained, 

 and kept for use. In Jamaica, besides its medi- 

 cal use, it is employed for lamps and other domes- 

 tic uses. 



In doses of half an ounce to an ounce, it forms 

 a mild, safe, and quickly operating purgative. 

 The addition of a small portion of spirits takes 

 away its nauseating effects, and makes it more 

 agreeable to the stomach. Unlike almost all 

 other purgatives, its frequent use has the eff^ect 

 of enabling the patient to diminish, instead of 

 to increase the dose. It may also be used as an 

 enema; and joined with equal parts of oil of 

 turpentine, is the most efficacious cure for 

 worms. 



Croton (croton tiglium). Natural family 

 eupliorhiaceoe ; monoscia,monodelphia,oiljim\re\is. 

 This shrub, which is a native of the East Indies, 



produces the seed from which the oil of croton 

 is procured. This oil is so irritating, that a 



210. 



Castor Oil Plant. 



single drop of it applied to the tongue, produces 

 an effect on the whole alimentary canal. It is 

 given in severe and obstinate cases of costive- 

 ness, in doses of from one to two drops, made 

 up with oil of almonds, or mucUage of gum 

 Arabic and sugar. It is also applied combined 

 with any bland oil, as an external irritant to the 

 skin. 



The Cascarilla Croton (c. eleutherium ) , another 

 shrub of this family, affords a bitter aromatic 

 bark, which is not unfrequently used in medi- 

 cine. 



Some of the other species of the same genus 

 are used as dyes, and have already been alluded 

 to. 



Rhubaeb (rheum palmatum). Natural family 

 poh/gonece; enneandria, trigynia, of Linnseus. 

 There are at least half a dozen species of rhubarb, 

 the roots of all of which possess medicinal pro- 

 perties; the palmatum, however, is that which 

 yields the rhubarb of commerce. The root is 

 perennial, thick, of an oval shape, and sends oft' 

 long tapering branches; externally it is brown, 

 and internally of a deep yellow colour. The 

 stalk is erect, round, hollow, jointed, sheathed, 

 and rises to the height of six or eight feet. The 

 radical leaves are numerous, large, rough, of a 

 roundish figure, and deeply cut into lobes, and 

 irregularly pointed segments. The stalk leaves 

 spring from the joints, which they supply with 

 membranous sheaths. The flowers terminate 

 the branches in numerous clusters, forming a kind 

 of spike, and appear in April or May. The 

 corolla divides into six obtuse segments, which 

 are of a greenish white colour. This species is 

 a native of Tartary. 



It was not till the year 1732, that naturalists 

 became acquainted with the plant which seemed 

 to afford the officinal rhubarb; when some plants 

 received from Russia by Jussieu, at Paris and 



