CUBEBIN  AND  THE  DIURETIC  PRINCIPLE  OF  CUBEBS.  43 
as  residue  the  soft  resin,  cubebin  and  wax,  amounting  to  8  oz. 
and  1  drachm.  A  portion  of  this  was  reserved  for  experiments, 
and  the  remainder  mixed  with  a  small  portion  of  ether  and  set 
aside  to  facilitate  the  deposition  of  cubebin  and  wax. 
Experiments  were  first  made  with  the  volatile  oil.  This  had 
a  light  straw  color,  and  had  to  a  much  greater  extent  the  odor 
of  the  drug  than  the  green  commercial  article.  It  was  tried  as 
follows : — 
Case  No.  1.  Three  minims  were  given  every  two  hours,  for  10 
hours,  without  any  appreciable  effect. 
Case  No.  2.  Ten  minims  were  given  every  two  hours,  for  six 
hours.  The  effect  in  this  case  was  a  slight  feeling  of  warmth  in 
the  region  of  the  stomach,  which  was  slowly  diffused  through  the 
body,  but  no  appreciable  increase  of  urine  could  be  noted. 
Case  No.  3.  Ten  minims  were  given  every  hour,  for  12  hours, 
with  a  view  of  obtaining  the  constitutional  effects  of  the  oil  on 
the  system.  No  increase  in  the  amount  of  urine  could  be  noticed, 
but  great  inward  heat  was  felt,  amounting  almost  to  fever.  These 
unpleasant  symptoms  passed  off  during  the  following  day. 
Cubebin  was  experimented  with  next.  By  repeated  crystalli- 
zations, it  had  been  obtained  perfectly  pure,  in  white  silky  nee- 
dles, tasteless  and  odorless. 
Case  No.  1.  Ten  grains  were  administered  every  hour,  for  six 
hours,  without  producing  any  effect  on  the  system  whatever. 
Case  No.  2.  Ten  grains  were  administered  every  hour,  for  12 
hours,  and  this  was  followed  by  a  dose  of  30  grains,  without  pro- 
ducing any  effect  whatever. 
The  soft  resin  had  the  consistence  of  honey,  of  a  dark  olive- 
green  color,  with  some  odor  yet  of  cubeb.  It  was  tried  with  the 
following  results  : — 
Case  No.  1.  Ten  grains  given  every  two  hoars,  for  six  hours, 
acted  the  following  morning  as  a  slight  purgative.  The  urine 
acquired  a  peculiar  odor,  reminding  one  somewhat  of  the  drug, 
but  no  increase  in  the  secretion  of  urine  could  be  noticed. 
Case  No.  2.  Sixty  grains  were  taken  in  two  doses,  at  an  inter- 
val of  three  hours.  This  acted  as  in  the  preceding  case,  but  was 
accompanied  by  a  considerable  increase  of  urine. 
