264 
Gleanings  in  Materia  Medica. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1887. 
called  drumine  (Austral.  Med.  Gaz.,  Oct,  1886).  A  tincture  is  prepared 
of  the  plant  or  milk  juice  with  alcohol  containing  hydrochloric  acid, 
then  concentrated  by  distillation,  precipitated  by  ammonia,  and  filtered ; 
the  residue  is  dissolved  in  dilute  hydrochloric  acid,  decolorized  by 
animal  charcoal  and  evaporated  when  boat-shaped  colorless  crystals 
are  obtained.  The  alkaloid  is  stated  to  be  almost  insoluble  in  ether, 
but  freely  soluble  in  chloroform ;  also  in  water.  A  4  per  cent,  solu- 
tion of  the  alkaloid  dropped  into  the  eye  produced  local  insensibility 
without  appreciably  dilating  the  pupil.  A  subcutaneous  injection  of 
3  grains  showed  no  effect  in  a  cat  beyond  local  anaesthesia;  but  a 
larger  dose  by  the  mouth  caused  paralysis  of  the  limbs  and  difficult 
breathing,  and  strychnine  failed  to  produce  muscular  contraction. 
Applied  to  the  tongue  or  nostrils,  loss  of  taste  was  observed,  but 
small  doses  swallowed  were  not  followed  by  any  perceptible  constitu- 
tional symptoms.  Dr.  Reid  recommends  the  alkaloid  more  particu- 
larly in  small  operations,  sprains  and  local  irritation. 
More  recent  experiments  made  by  Dr.  A.  Ogston  (Brit.  Med.  Jour. 
Feb.  2Qth.  1887.)  demonstrate  that  drumine  has  little  if  any  effect  as 
an  anaesthetic.  Instilled  into  the  conjunctiva  it  produced  no  anaesthesia 
and  had  no  perceptible  effect  on  the  pupil.  Used  hypodermically  on 
four  persons  in  doses  of  4  and  6  minims  of  a  4  per  cent,  solution, 
a  sharp  and  aching  pain,  followed  by  swelling  and  tenderness  of  the 
spot  was  produced,  but  no  anaesthesia.  The  material  employed  has 
been  received  directly  from  Dr.  Reid. 
Euphorbia  helioscopia,  Lin. — A  case  of  severe  ulceration  is  reported 
by  Dr.  Baudry  (Bull.  med.  du  Nord,)  resulting  from  the  application 
of  a  poultice  of  the  bruised  plant.  The  milk  juice  is  stated  to  be 
employed  by  peasants  as  a  cure  for  warts. 
This  annual,  which  belongs  to  the  group  of  Tithymalus,  is  indi- 
genous to  Europe  and  naturalized  in  some  parts  of  the  United  States, 
in  fields  and  waste  places,  and  is  characterized  by  its  terminal  umbel- 
like infloresence,  its  obovate,  finely  serrate  and  more  or  less  wedge- 
shaped  leaves,  and  its  smooth,  almost  three-lobed  fruit  containing 
coarsely  reticulated,  brownish  seeds.  With  some  botanically  allied 
species  it  was  formerly  employed  as  a  hydragogue  cathartic  and  is 
regarded  as  being  less  acrid  than  many  other  species  of  the  same 
genus. 
Euphorbia  Peplis,  Lin.,  is  said  to  be  used  as  a  domestic  remedy  in 
