MOMORDICA ELATERIUM.— WILD, OR SQUIRTING CUCUMBER. 
Class XXL MONCECIA.— Order VIII. MONADELPHIA. 
Natural Order, CUCURBITACEJE. THE GOURD TRIBE. 
Wild Cucumber is a hardy annual, growing spontaneously on waste grounds, in the south of Europe; 
flowering in June and July. It appears to have been introduced into this country at an early period, and 
is mentioned by Gerarde in 1596. With us, it is seldom cultivated except for curiosity. A few acres, 
however, are raised annually at Mitcham, in Surrey, and some other places, for the sake of the fruit, which 
yields the well known elaterium of medicine. 
From the root, which is large and fleshy, somewhat resembling that of bryony, issue several thick, 
round, rough, and trailing stems, divided into many branches, extending every way three or four feet, and 
destitute of tendrils: both male and female on the same plant: the male flowers stand on short peduncles, 
but the female sit on the germen. The fruit is watery, of a coriaceous texture, pendulous, oblong, of a 
greyish green colour, and closely set with short bristles. The seeds when mature are black. When ripe, 
the pepo bursts on being touched, and throws out, with great violence, the juice and seeds, through the hole 
at the insertion of the footstalk. — Fig. (a) represents the stamens ; (6) the pistil and germen. 
The term elaterium was used by Hippocrates to denote internal applications of a detergent or digestive 
nature, but more especially purgatives of a violent or drastic quality, from the word E Aauvco, agito, moveo, 
stimulo, but by succeeding authors it was exclusively applied to the active matter which subsides from the 
juice of the wild cucumber, either on account of its purgative properties, or because its capsule, when ripe, 
suddenly bursts with violence, and emits its contents to a considerable distance. Hence, also, its name 
£ Squirting Cucumber.” 
Qualities and Chemical Properties. — According to Lewis, all the parts of this plant are pur- 
gative; an opinion, which he appears to have borrowed from Geoflfoy, who says, “ radicum vis cathartica 
major est quam foliorum ; minor vero quam fructuum.” Lewis observes further, that in Holland, an extract 
from the root in wine, is exhibited for the elaterium, and found equally efficacious. M. M. Coste and 
Willemet, also recommend the root to be given in doses of from fifteen to thirty grains; but the conflicting 
accounts respecting the effects of the substance improperly termed “ extraction elaterii ,” (for it is not an 
extract, either in the chemical or pharmaceutical acceptation of the term, nor an inspissated juice, nor is it 
a fecula,) and the uncertainty with which different samples are administered, induced Dr. Clutterbuck to 
institute a series of experiments, from which it appears, 
“ That the most active principle belonging to this plant, is neither lodged in the roots, leaves, flowers, nor stalks, in any con- 
siderable quantity; nor is it to be found in the body of the fruit itself, nor in the seeds contained within it; it was only in the 
juice around the seeds, therefore, that it could be looked for ; and here it will be found, as is evident from the following trials. 
“ This juice, as it first issues, without pressure, appears perfectly limpid and colourless. After it has stood for a short time 
it becomes turbid ; and after s ome hours it slowly deposits a sediment, which, being collected and gently dried, without much 
exposure to light, is of a yellowish white, colour, slightly tinged with green. When dried, it is very light and pulverulent. 
This is the real elaterium, and it is extremely active as a medicine; an eighth part of a grain seldom failing to purge violently, 
and often with vomiting previously. The quantity contained in the cucumber is exceedingly small. From forty cucumbers I 
obtained only six grains ; so that a single cucumber contains about an ordinary dose. Half a bushel, charged at half a guinea 
in the market, furnished less than two drams of elaterium ; hence we cannot wonder at the high price it bears in the shops. 
This, however, is unnecessarily enhanced by the mode of preparation, and its not being known distinctly in what part the active 
principle is lodged. 
“ The juice after the elaterium had subsided, was evaporated to an extract. Two grains of this were given in six cases. 
In two of them it produced several stools ; one was vomited, and was purged on the following day ; one was vomited in half an 
hour without purging ; and in two it appeared to produce no effect. 
I gave five grains of a similar preparation, obtained from Apothecaries’ Hall, in fourteen instances. In seven of them it pro- 
duced no effect ; in three it appeared to operate gently by stool. Of the others there was no report. 
