N. O. EHPITORBIACFJE. 
1123 
also in gonorrhoea (S. Arjun). The root is given by the Santals 
to allay vomiting, and the plant to nursing mothers when the 
supply of milk is deficient or fails (Revd. A. Campbell). It has 
a reputation as a vermifuge (Dymock). 
The capital symptom calling for this new remedy is paroxysmal spasmodic 
dyspnoea Dr. Tison gives favourable reports of this medicine in 
dyspnoeas of cardiac origin In all his patients the heart and kidneys 
seem to have been sound. The Euphorbia pilulifera has not seemed to have 
any action on the cough and expectoration in chronic bronchitis, nor it 
seemed to modify the rfiles of humid asthma In its mode of action 
it acts in two ways : locally on the stomach, and, after having been absorbed, 
on the respiratory functions. 
Conclusions. 
I. The active principle of euphorbia pilulifera is soluble in dilute alcohol 
and water, insoluble or but little soluble in ether, chloroform, di-sulphide cf 
carbon and essence of turpentine. 2. It is toxic in small doses to small 
animals, killing them by arrest of the respiratory movements and cardiac 
pulsations, which are first accelerated, then slowed. 8. Its effects are not 
cumulative. 4. It seems to act directly on the respiratory and cardiac 
centres ; it leaves intact the other organs. 6. It seems to bo eliminated by 
the livor. 6. Locally it is without action on the skin and mucous membranes, 
except the gastric mucous membrane, which it irritates. 7. It gives good 
results in attacks of dyspnoea caused by spasmodic asthma, emphysema, 
or chronic bronchitis. It ought to be employed in daily doses corresponding 
at the most to one gramme of the dried plant, and should be taken well 
diluted with water at meal time. (Quart. Thcrap. Rev., Jul. 1883.) 
The entire plant of Euphorbia pilulifera L. which had been obtained from 
the Fiji Island, was examined. The air dried material was extracted with 
alcohol, and the extract distilled with steam, when abonff 0'02 per cent, of 
an essential oil was obtained The following substances were isolated from 
that portion of the alcoholic extract soluble in water : gallic acid, quercetin, 
and a new phenolic substance, C la H, a 0 ls . The aqueous liquid also contained 
amorphns glucoside material and a Irevo- rotatory sugar which yieided al- 
phenyl-glucosazone. The soft resinous material left aftertreating the 
alcoholic extract with water amounted to about 3'2 per cent- of the original 
air dried material. This yielded the following substances : tricieoutane and 
apparently a little ceryl alcohol ; a new monohydric alcohol, euphosterol, 
C, b H 39 OH, m. pt. 274°— 27.3°C., giving an acetyl derivative m. pt. 295°— 2!t7 < ‘0., 
and a bromo acetyl derivative m. pt. 183°— 186’C., a phytosterol m. pt. 132° — 
138°C ; a phytosterolin ; Jambulol C 1(S H 3 0 4 (O. H) s ; melissic acid and a mixture 
of higher fatty acids. Euphosterol is evidently closely related to taraxasterol 
and homotaraxasterol.— (Abstract from Ph. J. of 1918 in the J. Oh. I. for 
May 15, 1918, p. 505.) 
Among the various constituents, there is none to which any specific 
physiological action may be ascribed. Such therapeutic virtues as the plant 
