EUPHORBIA OFFICINARUM. 
226 
gin of the calyx ; the filaments are about twelve, capillary, longer 
than the petals, and support globular two-lobed anthers ; the ger- 
men is roundish, three-lobed, with a simple short style, crowned 
with three spreading, obtuse stigmas ; the capsule is tricoccous, 
elastic, and contains three roundish seeds. 
The Euphorbia of the shops is the concrete juice of this plant, 
which is obtained by making slight incisions in the branches with a 
knife, from which a milky juice exudes, which by exposure to the 
air. soon becomes solid. We are told by Mr. Jackson, that in the 
lower regions of Mount Atlas the inhabitants collect the gum resin, 
which they call furbiune, in September. The quantity yielded by 
the plants is so considerable that they are cut only once in four 
years, the produce then obtained being sufficient to supply all Europe 
for that space of time. The recent juice is so corrosive as to erode 
the skin wherever it touches, and the people who gather it, are 
obliged to tie a cloth over their mouths and nostrils to protect them 
from the acrid dust of the withered branches. We are told by 
Bruce, that " when the tree grows old, the branches wither, and in 
place of milk the inside appears to be full of powder, which is so 
pungent, that the small dust which he drew upon striking a withered 
branch seemed to threaten to make him sneeze to death, and the 
touching the milk with his fingers, excoriated them as if scalded 
with boiling water." 
The Euphorbia imported into Europe, however, is the produce of 
several species of this plant, many of which furnish a similar juice 
to the one we have described, among which are the Euphorbia Anti- 
quorum and Euphorbia Canariensis of Wildenow. 
Sensible and Chemical Properties, &c. Euphorbium is 
brought to us immediately from Barbary, in packages containing from 
100 to 160 lbs. weight. It is in small drops of an irregular form, of a 
pale yellow colour externally, but somewhat white within, and breaks 
easily between the fingers. It is inodorous ; when first chewed it 
has little taste, but soon gives a very acrid, burning sensation to the 
mouth and fauces, which is very permanent. It is soluble in ether, 
alcohol, oil of turpentine, oil of almonds, and partially so in acids 
and alkalies. When the ethereal tincture is evaporated on water, it 
leaves on the side of the glass a pellicle of transparent resin, resem- 
bUng an officinal plaister. When triturated with water it renders it 
milky, but only one part in seven of the Euphorbia is dissolved. 
Alcohol takes up about one part in four, and forms a clear straw- 
coloured solution, which is rendered milky by the addition of water. 
It burns with an iigreeable smell and a bright fiame ; its specific 
VOL. II. '-^ ^ 
