BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 87 
is to a certain extent founded in fact; since the seeds are known by 
physicians to possess diuretic properties, and are sometimes used in 
this sense as a medicament. They are esteemed, also, for expelling 
tapeworm ™* from the human subject, though it has often been urged in 
this connection that the seeds are preferable to other medicines that 
might be used for this purpose, because they are mild and .innocuous, 
and cannot possibly do the patient any harm. 
It would be of interest to determine carefully by observation and 
experiment the limits — both as to the quantity of food consumed and 
the length of time during which the food is administered — within 
which the seedy portion of pumpkins may be safely given to animals. 
As matters now stand, the practices of our farmers seem to indicate 
that the danger in using the seeds must be both small and remote. 
Excepting in the case of milch cows, to be mentioned directly, pump- 
kins are usually fed out without thought of their seeds. So far as my 
own information goes, it seldom happens that pains are taken to ex- 
clude the seeds from the rations of fatting cattle or swine; on the 
contrary, the latter are pretty sure to receive the seeds of those pump- 
kins and squashes whose flesh has been consumed in the farmer’s 
household, As is well known, pumpkin seeds are rather palatable. 
They are relished by many children, as well as by mice and swine. 
According to Pumpelly,t the kernels of pumpkin seeds are eaten by 
the Chinese at the intervals between courses at dinner. He reports 
that the seeds are so much used in this way in China, that they form 
an important item in the trade of certain provinces. In Egypt also, 
travellers report that pumpkin seeds are eaten much in the same way 
that nuts are eaten in other countries. Mr. J. N. Smith t of South 
Walpole, Mass., in reporting some excellent results obtained by him in 
_ fattening swine with raw pumpkins, remarks, “some say that the seeds 
of pumpkins must be taken out, or they are an injury to cattle. I 
would say, in relation to this, that I noticed in feeding my pumpkins to 
my pigs, that they would eat the seeds first, when not very hungry.” 
Beside the general idea just alluded to, that pumpkin seeds may be 
hurtful to any kind of animal, there is a wide-spread impression that 
* See “ United States Dispensatory ” of Wood & Bache, and the “ American 
Journal of Pharmacy,” passim. 
+t “ Across America and Asia,” New York, 1871, p. 302. 
t “New England Farmer,” 1863, 15. 70; compare 1862, 14. 541. 
