CASTOR FIBER. 25 



to MM. Bouillon la Grange and Laugier, it consists of a mucilage, 

 a bitter extract, a resin, an essential oil, in which its peculiar smell 

 appears to reside, and a flaky crystalline matter, much resembling 

 the adipocere of biliary calculi.* M. Bizio discovered a new prin- 

 ciple in castor, to which he has given the name of castor hie. f 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Castor has generally been 

 regarded as a powerful antispasmodic and emmenagogue, and has 

 been found useful in most cases requiring such remedies, when 

 given in doses from ten to thirty grains. It has been styled also, 

 without sufficient foundation, an aphrodisiac, and has been sup- 

 posed to possess a sedative power ; but Dr. Cullen says, he had 

 never perceived this, excepting where such effects might be im- 

 puted to its removing the spasmodic affections which interrupted 

 sleep. Sydenham used to prescribe it, in small quantities, joined 

 with sal succini, in hysteria ; and Whytt and others in the same 

 cases, combined with opium. Pliny informs us that, in his days, 

 the best castor was brought to Rome from Galatia and Africa, and 

 that it was considered as a useful medicine in soothing and procuring 

 sleep, and in tetanus. J Celsus prescribed castor combined with pep- 

 per in cases of tetanus. At the present day it is employed in all 

 spasmodic diseases, in epilepsy, hooping cough, asthma, hysteria, in 

 suppressed menstruation, in flatulent colic, and in typhus. By Stahl, 

 and some other celebrated practitioners, the virtues of castor have 

 been doubted. Experience, however, has shewn that its medicinal 

 powers are considerable, though less important than they have 

 generally been supposed. The American savages are said to 

 obtain an oil from the tail of the beaver, which they apply as a 

 topical remedy for different complaints. The flesh is seldom eaten, 

 though fat and delicate to appearance, it is extremely bitter and 

 unpalatable. 



Off. Prep. — Tinctura Castorei. — L. E. D. 



* Diet. Scienc. Nat. vii. 4C6. 

 f Giorno de Fisica, vii. 174. 

 X Hist. Nat. lib. xxxii. cap. 3, p. 394. 



