166 
CULTURE  AND  PRODUCTION  OF  ELATERIUM. 
through  the  sieve  is  somewhat  turbid,  and  of  a  greenish-yellow 
color.  When  the  pressure  has  been  continued  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  the  juice  all  run  out  from  the  pressed  cucumber,  it  is  poured 
into  glazed  earthenware  jars,  and  allowed  to  stand  for  about 
twelve  hours,  by  which  time  the  whole  of  the  elaterium  will  have 
been  deposited  in  the  form  of  a  greenish,  slightly  yellow  mass. 
(The  time  thus  allowed  for  the  deposition  of  the  elaterium  is 
much  longer  than  that  commonly  adopted  ;  thus,  at  Apothecaries' 
Hall  about  two  hours  are  considered  sufficient  for  the  purpose, 
and  at  Mitcham  the  time  allowed  varies  usually  from  three  to 
four  hours.)  The  supernatant  liquor  is  then  very  carefully  re- 
moved, and  the  deposit  collected  in  a  cloth.  This  deposit  is  then 
dried  in  a  room  heated  by  steam  to  a  temperature  of  about  100° 
Fahrenheit,  and  the  preparation  of  the  elaterium  is  completed. 
The  exact  mode  in  which  the  supernatant  liquor  is  removed  and 
the  deposit  collected  and  dried,  is  a  secret.  In  some  places  where 
elaterium  is  prepared,  it  is  the  custom  to  put  aside  the  superna- 
tant liquor  and  allow  it  to  deposit  again.  The  elaterium  thus 
obtained  is  of  a  paler  color  and  inferior  in  strength  to  the  former. 
No  use  is,  however,  made  at  Hitchin  of  this  supernatant  liquor, 
but  it  is  thrown  away  after  the  first  deposit  has  been  obtained. 
In  fact,  the  time  allowed  for  the  first  deposition  is  so  long,  that 
it  is  not  likely  that  any  further  deposit  would  take  place. 
The  amount  of  elaterium  obtained  from  a  bushel  or  forty 
pounds  of  cucumbers,  is  about  three  drachms.  This  accords 
very  nearly  with  the  experience  of  others.  Thus,  Mr.  Arthur, 
of  Mitcham,  states  that  one  bushel  of  fruit  will  yield  about  half 
an  ounce,  and  Dr.  Clutterbuck  says  that  he  obtained  from  half 
a  bushel  "  less  than  two  drachms  of  elaterium."  We  may  fairly 
conclude,  therefore,  that  half  an  ounce  of  good  elaterium  per 
bushel  is  about  the  ordinary  yield,  and  that  if  a  larger  quantity 
be  obtained,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  that  the  excess  is  probably 
due  to  the  use  of  too  much  pressure,  and  the  resulting  elaterium 
of  inferior  quality.  We  are  informed,  however,  that  the  quan- 
tity of  elaterium  that  can  be  obtained  varies  somewhat  according 
to  the  weather  in  which  the  fruit  is  collected;  thus,  when  the 
cucumbers  are  gathered  in  wet  cool  days,  the  yield  is  less  than 
when  they  are  obtained  on  a  hot  dry  day. 
The  elaterium  thus  prepared  at  Hitchin  is  all  sold  to  the 
wholesale  druggists.    We  believe  that  much  of  the  elaterium 
