THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
13 
separated from each otheEby membrane, are in a proper con¬ 
dition for the operation of endosmosis ; consequently, the 
central cell gradually becomes very much distended (at the 
expense of the liquid in the tissue of the pericarp), and ulti¬ 
mately gives way at the weakest point, namely, where the 
peduncle is articulated with the fruit, and the contents of the 
cells are expelled with great violence from the sudden con¬ 
traction of the distended tissues. Some few acres of this 
plant are annually cultivated at Mitcham for making the 
drug known as ‘ Extract of Elaterium/ which is prepared 
from the juice of the seeds in the following manner, as de¬ 
scribed by Dr. Clutterbuck: 
“ The cucumbers should be gathered when nearly as ripe as 
possible and without violence that might endanger their 
bursting. They should then be wetted by the affusion of 
cold water, that less of the juice when they are cut may 
adhere to the external surface. In this state they should be 
cut through longitudinally, and the juice allowed to strain 
through a fine sieve placed in a large earthenware vessel. 
The seeds and surrounding pulp should be scooped out upon 
the sieve and washed with repeated affusions of cold water, 
by which they will be freed from all adhering juice. Some¬ 
thing will be saved also by afterwards rinsing the split 
cucumbers themselves in cold water, from which a portion 
of elaterium may be collected. After standing a few hours 
a sediment is formed, from which the clear liquor is to be 
poured off. It is then to be thinly spread on fine linen and 
exposed to the air to dry; a gentle warmth may be employed 
without injury, but the access of sunshine destroys the fine 
green colour which the substance otherwise acquires.” 
It is fortunate that no great mass of this is required, as it 
appears that from forty fruits Dr. Clutterbuck obtained only 
six grains of elaterium. 
Different plans are followed for making this extract, but 
they are much the same in principle. It is, however, more 
than probable that the quantity of the extract will depend 
much upon the season and mode of culture. Its composition, 
according to Dr. Paris, is as follows: 
Elatin 1 -i .o 
Bitter matter ) 
Extractive . . . 2‘6 
Eecula . . . . 2'8 
Gluten . . • .0*5 
Woody matter . . .2*5 
Water . . . . 0*4 
10-0 
