556 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



Actions. — Quassia is the most active and bitter stomachic 

 we possess. Large doses irritate the digestive tract. The 

 drug is poisonous to the lower forms of animal life. One 

 grain will kill a frog with the production of convulsions and 

 respiratory and heart failure. A sweetened infusion is often 

 employed to destroy flies. Considerable doses of quassia 

 increase the secretion of urine, and stimulate peristaltic 

 action and contraction of the urinary bladder. It is an 

 antiseptic and prevents fermentation in the digestive canal. 

 Quassia acts generally in the same manner as gentian, by 

 sharpening the appetite, and increasing salivary and gastric 

 secretions, together with vascularity and peristalsis of the 

 stomach. The volatile oil assists the stomachic action. 



Uses. — Quassia, like gentian, is very serviceable in pro- 

 moting appetite and digestion in atonic dyspepsia. It has 

 this advantage, however, that it may be combined with 

 liquid preparations of iron without incompatibility. Quassia 

 is the most efficient vermicide in our possession for the 

 destruction of Oxyuris curvula, horse ; and O. vermicularis, 

 dog, iu the lower bowel. An infusion is employed for 

 this purpose, made by soaking quassia chips in cold water 

 (3ii.-0i.) for half an hour. The rectum should be first 

 thoroughly washed out with soap and water, and one-half 

 pint of this infusion is given in enema to dogs ; two quarts 

 to horses. 



Casoakilla. Cascarilla. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Cascarillse cortex, B.P.; cascarille, Fr.; cas- 

 carilla, kascarillrinde, G. 



The bark of Croton Eluteria Bennett (nat. ord. Euphor- 

 biacese) . 



Habitat. — Bahama Islands. 



Description. — In quills or curved pieces about 2 Mm. 

 thick, having a grayish, somewhat fissured, easily detached, 

 corky layer, more or less coated with a white lichen, the 

 uncoated surface being dull brown, and the inner surface 

 smooth. It breaks with a short fracture, having a resinous 



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