202 
PUMPKIN  SEEDS — PEPO,  U.  S.  P. 
curbitin,  naming  it  after  its  natural  order,  as  other  species  of  Cu- 
curbitacese  have  been  used  for  anthelmintic  purposes,  and  proba- 
bly their  remedial  properties  are  due  to  the  same  active  principle. 
With  the  preparations  before  mentioned,  Dr.  John  C.  Hall,  of 
the  Philadelphia  Hospital,  made  the  following  therapeutical  ex- 
periments. He,  however,  commenced  with  an  emulsion  of  four 
ounces  of  the  seeds  in  a  pint  mixture.  This  was  administered  to 
the  patient  after  fasting  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  followed  in 
six  hours  by  a  dose  of  castor  oil.  The  patient  passed  a  few 
fragments  of  the  worm.  He  next  administered  one  ounce  of  the 
oil,  and  followed  again  in  six  hours  with  two  fluid-ounces  of  cas- 
tor oil,  with  little  effect  upon  the  disease.  This  dose  was  re- 
peated under  similar  circumstances  with  the  same  unsatisfactory 
result.  He  next  used  four  fluid-ounces  of  the  fluid  extract  given 
in  tablespoonful  doses,  with  the  happy  effect  of  expelling  the 
greater  part  of  the  worm. 
The  latter  contributes  to  verify  the  statements  made  in  the 
Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,  May,  1869,  by  Mr.  Chas.  Hand,  in  which 
alcohol  is  given  place  to,  as  the  best  solvent  for  the  active 
principle.  But  I  think  that  a  preparation  less  alcoholic  would 
be  more  desirable  for  administration.  I  have  found  that  glyce- 
rin is  a  good  solvent  of  the  active  principle,  and  I  propose  it  as 
a  menstruum  for  a  fluid  extract,  combining  it  in  the  first  in- 
stance with  alcohol,  and  lastly  to  add  a  small  quantity  of  oil  of 
bitter  almonds  as  a  flavoring  ingredient. 
Take  of  Pumpkin  seeds,  sixteen  troy-ounces ; 
Glycerin,  twelve  troy-ounces  ; 
Alcohol,  a  sufiicient  quantity  ; 
Oil  of  bitter  almonds,  ten  drops. 
Bruise  the  seeds  with  an  equal  bulk  of  dry  sand  until  reduced  to 
a  coarse  powder.    Having  mixed  the  glycerin  with  a  pint  of 
alqohol,  moisten  the  powder  with  eight  fluid-ounces  of  the  mix- 
ture, then  transfer  the  powder  to  a  percolator  and  pour  on  the 
remainder  of  the  menstruum.    When  this  has  passed,  continue 
the  process  with  alcohol  until  the  percolate  measures  three  pints. 
Introduce  the  product  into  a  suitable  still  and  recover  two  pints 
of  the  alcohol.    Filter  the  remainder  of  the  liquid,  and  add  suf- 
ficient alcohol  to  it  to  bring  the  fluid  extract  to  the  measure  of  a 
