592 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



A native of Africa and Arabia, recognised by the London and Edinburgh 

 authorities as producing Euphorbium, and may perhaps be the plant spoken 

 of by Jackson (Morocco) under the name of Dergmuse. Whether it is this 

 plant or not, it is certainly very active, as Forskal states 7 or 8 drops of the 

 milk will purge actively. 



Some other of the succulent species are equally powerful. According to 

 Ainslie {Mat. Ind. ii. 134), the juice' of E. tirucatti of India is caustic, and 

 will cause violent vomiting and purging. Sonnerat states that the milk is 

 prescribed mixed with flour as a remedy in syphilis (Encij. Met.) The 

 juice of E. tribuloides is employed in the Canaries as a sudorific. (De Can- 

 dolle, Essai, 260.) That of E. heptagona, a native of Africa, is said by 

 Virey to be so virulent that the milk is used for the purpose of poisoning 

 arrows by the natives. 



Nor are the species with conspicuous leaves less efficient and dangerous in 

 many instances. Some of them, however, are useful remedial agents, and 

 two of them are recognised as officinal in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. 



4. E. ipecacuanha, Linn. — Root irregular, succulent, of great length, sometimes ex- 

 tending to a depth of 6 — 7 feet. Stems numerous, erect or procumbent, dichotomous, 

 white below the surface, red, pale-green, or yellow above. Leaves opposite, sessile, of 

 various forms, but usually oval, entire except at the apex, which is sometimes emargi- 

 nate; stipules small, cordate. Flowers on single 1-flowered peduncles, varying in length. 

 Seeds 3, in as many cocci. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 653 ; Bigelow, Med. Bot. iii. 108, t. 52 ; Barton, Veg. Mat. 

 Med. i. 213, t. 18 ; Lindley, Med. Flor. 195. 



Common Names. — Wild Ipecac ; American Ipecacuanha, &c. 



Found in many parts of the United States, especially in dry, sandy soil. 

 The root, which is the part employed, is milky when fresh, and in the dried 

 state is light and brittle, of a grayish colour externally, white within, without 

 odour, and of a somewhat sweet, not unpleasant taste. No correct analysis 

 of it has been made; Dr. Bigelow judged from his experiments that it con- 

 tained Resin, Caoutchouc, Gum, and probably Starch; this latter was found in 

 some quantity in it by Mr. Cullen. 



This root was spoken of as emetic by Schoepf, Puihn, Dr. B. S. Barton, and 

 others, but does not appear to have attracted particular notice until Dr. W. 

 P. C. Barton announced it "as equal in importance, if not, on some accounts, 

 superior to the common Ipecacuanha of the shops." The experience of sub- 

 sequent experimenters with it does not coincide with this; and it is now gene- 

 rally considered as a tolerably certain and energetic emetic, but like all its 

 tribe, apt to operate on the bowels, and in over-doses, to act with extreme 

 violence. The dose is from ten to fifteen grains. Dr. Barton states, that in 

 small quantities it determines to the skin. 



5. E. corollata, Linn. — Root large, branching. Stems several, erect, round, some- 

 times simple. Leaves scattered, sessile, oblong, obovate, or linear, somewhat revolute 

 at the edges, either smooth or a little hairy. Umbel 5-rayed, with as many bracteal leaves. 

 Rays repeatedly trifid or dichotomous, each fork with 2 bracts and a flower. Invo- 

 lucre large, rotate, white, with 5 obtuse, petal-like segments, with 5 interior, very small 

 obtuse ones. Many of the plants are wholly staminiferous. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 658; Bigelow, Med. Bot. iii. 119, t. 53; Rafinesque, 

 Med. Flor. i. 181; Lindley, Fl. Med. 196; ZollickofTer, Amer. Jour. 

 Med. Sci. and Jour. Phil. Coll. Pharm. v. 163. 



Common Names. — Milkweed; Ipecac; Bowman's Root, &c. 



