PURGATIVE ACTION OE CERTAIN EtTPHORBIACEOUS SEEDS. 557 
Emetico-cathartic Oils. 
Oil of Croton Tiglium 
Oil of Curcas purgans . . . 
Oil of Euphorbia Lathyris . 
Oil of Anda Gomesii .... 
Oil of Sura crepitans 
Oil of Ricinus communis . . 
Simply Eurgative Oil. 
Oil of Aleurites triloba .... 
Inert Oil. 
Oil of Ornphalea triandra . • • 
?.» 
1-2 drops. 
8-12 
15-30 
30-45 „ 
75-150 „ 
1-2 ounces. 
1-2 ounces. 
1-2 ounces - 
To this arrangement no exception can be taken ; not so to some of the closes, 
-which are generally too large ; thus, one ounce is too large for the minimum 
dose of castor oil. With regard to the oil of S. Lathyris gutt. viij seems to be 
the maximum dose, indeed MM. Lupis and Caneila consider that gutt. v shou d 
never be exceeded 5 and with respect to the oil of A.ndct Gomesii M. XJre founc 
gutt. XX act efficiently as a purgative in ordinary cases. _ . 
We may now proceed to the consideration of the active principle ol these 
seeds at least of those included by Dr. OTtorke in his class emetico-cathartics. 
Looking at the fact that each of these seeds yields, on expression, a fixed oil, 
which taken internally produces, in certain degrees, purgative and emetic effects, 
_ we might, taking a superficial view of the subject, be inclined, in answer to the 
question, what is their active principle? to reply at once, the fixed oil which 
they respectively contain. Such an answer would, it appears to me, be eno- 
neous or at any rate would not embrace the truth, the whole truth, and nothing 
but the truth. The facts on which this opinion is based are twofold. I irst, the 
violence of the operation observable in the use of these seeds when taken inter¬ 
nally is wholly out of proportion to the amount of oil which is known to exist 
in them, and to the influence which, when extracted by pressure or otherwise, 
it exercises on the system. Secondly, the fact that after the fixed oil has been 
extracted by powerful pressure and by the subsequent action of ether and 
alcohol, the marc or residuum retains the same activity which the seeds pos¬ 
sessed previous to their being subject to these exhausting agencies. 
In support of the first reason, let me recall to your memory one or two facts 
already mentioned. Take castor-oil seeds for example: look at Dr. Taylors 
case in which twenty of these seeds proved fatal to an adult. I find the 
average weight of these seeds to be between six and seven grains, so we may 
conclude that about two drachms weight of the seeds in this instance were swal¬ 
lowed This quantity, if submitted to pressure, would probably yield a drachm 
or at 'the outside a drachm and a half of the fixed oil; a quantity which we all 
know may, under ordinary circumstances, be given to a young child with pei- 
fect impunity. Again, M. Mialhe and Dr. Gazin agree m stating that an 
emulsion containing from U 2 to 7 grains of castor-oil seeds acts as an agreeable 
and efficient purgative. Now the amount of oil contained in such a quantity 
is almost homceopathically small, only three or four drops at the outside a 
quantity which, if obtained by expression or by the agency of alcohol, would be 
wholly inoperative, even on an infant. . . . , , 
The same fact is illustrated by death following the ingestion of a single Croton 
seed, as related by Dr. Wallicli; surely the amount of oil contained m one seed 
is wholly inadequate to account for such a result. ., 
This train of thought receives additional weight from the fact, that aitei 1 m 
fixed oil has been extracted by powerful pressure, and by the subsequent action 
