Cascara  Sagrada.  569 
medica,  for  it  is  a  reliable  and  powerful  antipyretic,  applicable  in  all 
kinds  of  febrile  conditions.  Three  to  eight  grains  in  pill  are  consid- 
ered a  suitable  dose.  It  is  also  applied  externally,  especially  lately, 
with  great  success  for  injections  in  cases  of  acute  and  chronic  gonor- 
rhoea, for  which  it  is  prescribed  in  aqueous  solutions  containing  one 
drachm  of  the  thallin  salt  in  §vj. 
Salts  of  thallin  are  crystalline  powders,  not  quite  pure  white  in 
color,  of  a  bitter  and  intensely  aromatic  taste,  and  of  a  peculiarly 
persistent  odor,  which  is  similar  to  that  of  cumarin ;  they  are  readily 
soluble  in  water,  but  far  less  so  in  alcohol. 
Urethan.— Ethyl  of  urethan,  CO(NH2).OC2H5.  As  a  mild  hyp- 
notic urethan  is  very  useful,  being  administered  in  doses  of  fifteen  to 
forty  grains,  either  as  a  powder  or  in  solution,  with  a  little  syrup  as  a 
corrective.    Thus — 
Urethan  gij. 
Syr  simpl  £j. 
Aqnse  giij. 
Two  tablespoonfuls  for  a  dose. 
It  not  does  produce  a  comatose  condition  like  chloral-hydrate,  but 
tends  to  induce  a  healthy  natural  sleep  in  cases  where  this  is  impeded 
by  other  causes. 
It  is  a  crystalline  body  of  a  mild  ethereal  odor,  tastes  somewhat 
like  saltpetre,  is  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  and  melts  at  about 
120°  F. 
CASCARA  SAGRADA. 
By  Dr.  E.  R.  Squibb. 
Rhamnus  Purshiana  is  a  sub-variety  of  the  Buckthorn  family  of 
small  trees  and  shrubs,  which  grow  in  most  of  the  temperate  climates. 
This  sub-variety  grows  abundantly  in  California  and  Oregon,  and  the 
bark  under  the  name  of  Chittem  bark  or  cascara  sagrada  has  been 
long  known  and  used  as  a  purgative,  and  the  name  cascara  sagrada 
has  more  recently  been  usefully  contracted  to  cascara.  Some  years 
ago  it  was  taken  up  and  pushed  as  a  novelty,  and  by  vigorous  adver- 
tising, as  a  panacea  for  numerous  ills,  it  has  come  into  very  common 
use,  in  the  form  of  several  pharmaceutical  preparations. 
There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  but  that  the  bark  of  the  branches,  and 
a  well-made  fluid  extract,  and  extract  of  this  bark,  are  all  effective 
simple  aperients,  not  very  disagreeable  in  taste   or  effect,  easy  of 
Am.  Jour.  Pbarm. 
Nov.,  1&.7. 
