— ii8 — 
6. Group of Diuretics. 
I do not know whether, apart from the experimental work made 
by Alexander Raphael in my Institute, any other examination 
dating from the last decade, on the diuretic action of essential oils, 
is in existence. I am just now having the results obtained at that time 
checked over again. There is no doubt that oil of juniper- berries 
possesses a considerable diuretic action. Raphael prefers Oleum baccarum 
juniperi sine terpeno (0,4) to that containing terpenes; but in any case 
the conclusion may be drawn from his experiments that the action is not 
solely due to the terpene. Raphael also found that terpine hydrate 
(1,0 gram) promotes the secretion of urine, whereas with oil of tur- 
pentine this action was not clear. The same author also found that 
the oil of parsley-seed (0,4 gram) had on himself a diuretic action. 
He recommends the administration in ''pearls". The action continues 
for many hours. Oil of jaborandi leaves [Oleinn foliormn jaborandi\ 
oil of lovage [Oleum radicis levistici), and angelica oil [Oleum radicis 
angelicae)j when administered to Raphael in the same dose and manner, 
also proved to be diuretics. Raphael also tested juniper oil and oil 
of parsley on patients, and found them useful. It goes without saying 
that not every patient should be submitted to such experiments, for 
the point of attack of the above-named remedies does not lie in the 
heart and in the vascular system, as with digitalis, but in the kidney 
itself, whose secernent parenchyma is stimulated by those bodies, the 
same as by calomel. For calomel exactly-defined indications and meth- 
ods of administration have been evolved, which have rendered this 
remedy absolutely indispensable; in the same manner a sphere of indi- 
cations, if only limited, may be discovered and permanently maintained 
for the above-named essential oils, or for the active principles contained 
therein, if they are carefully tested in many Clinics. By way of appendix 
we must here also refer once more to the safrol from sassafras oil, 
already mentioned on page 115. There can be no doubt that its 
secretion-stimulating action on the kidney is the only factor, which has 
led to the adoption of the wood of sassafras roots in antisyphilitic 
wood-beverages. Whether safrol in such dilution excels the above-named 
substances as a diuretic, without producing a toxic effect, will have to 
be finally proved in Clinics by careful experiments. A further diuretic 
constituent of wood-infusion. Lignum guaiaci, does not itself contain 
any essential oil or even traces of it; but another kind of guaiacum 
wood is found (derived from Bulnesia sarmienti Lor.), which gives a 
^) tiber die diuretische Wirkung einiger Mittel auf den Menschen. Works of 
the pharmacolog. Institute of the Imperial University of Dorpat, edited by Rud. 
Robert. Vol. X (Stuttgart 1894), p. 81. 
