NAT. ORDER. EUPHORBIACE^. 
129 
which have already been described in various parts of this Avork, 
and others scarcely known to the majority of the medical profession. 
Medical Pro])erfAes and Uses of various plants in this order. The 
excellent monograph of M. Adrien de Jussien contains the best infor- 
mation that exists upon this subject, and I accordingly avail myself 
of it, adding such adJitional facts as have since been discovered. 
The general property is that of excitement, which varies greatly in 
degree, and consequently in effect. This principle resides chiefly in 
the milky secretion of the order, and is most powerful in proportion 
as that secretion is abundant. The smell and taste of a few are 
aromatic ; but in the greater part the former is strong and nau- 
seous, the latter acrid and pungent. The hairs of some species are 
stinging. The bark of various species of Croton is aromatic, as Cas- 
carilla. ; and tiie flowers of some, such as Cactaras spicijioriis, give 
a tone to the stomach. Many of them act upon the kidneys, as sev- 
eral species of Phyllanthus, the leaves of Mercurialis annua, and the 
roof of Ricimis communis. The root of various Euphoi-hias, the 
juice of Commia, Anda, Mercurialis perennis, and others are emetic ; 
and the leaves of Box and Mercurialis, the juice of JEuphorbia, Com- 
mia, and Hara, the seeds of Ricinus, Croton tigUum, &c,, are pur- 
gatives. Many of them are also dangerous, even in small doses, and 
so fatal in some cases that no practitioner would dare to prescribe 
them — as, for example, Manchineel. In fact, there is a gradual and 
insensible transition in this order, from mere stimulants to the most 
dangerous poisons. The latter have usually an acrid character ; but 
some of them are also narcotic, as those of Phyllanthuses, the leaves 
of which are thrown into the water to intoxicate fish. Whatever the 
stimulating principle of Buphorbiaceee may be, it seems to be of a 
very volatile nature, because application of heat is sufficient to dissi- 
pate it. Thus the root of the Jathropha, Manihot, or Cassava, which 
when raw, is one of the most violent of poisons, becomes a whole- 
some, nutritious article of food when roasted. In the seeds the albu- 
men is harmless and eatable, but the embryo itself is acrid and 
