Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 601. Cl. 21. Ord.8. Moncecia Monadelphia. Nat.ord. Cucurbitaceae. G. 1739. Male. Calyx five-cleft. Corolla five-parted. Filaments five. ------------Female. Calyx five-cleft. Corolla five-parted. Style trifid. Gourd opening elastically. Species 13. M. Elaterium.1 Squirting Cucumber. Med. Dot.

2d edit. t. 72. Officinal. Elaterii pepones recentes, Lond. Elaterium,

Edin. Momordica Elaterium; fructus, fecula, folia,

Dub. The fruit of the Wild Cucumber; Elaterium.

Syn. Concombre sauvage(F.), Esselsgurken (G.), Ezelskomkommers (Dutch), Cocomero salvatico (I.), Cohombrillo amargo (S.).

This species of momordica is a perennial native of the south of Europe, flowering in June and July. It is cultivated in England2, but does not survive the severity of our winters. The root is large and fleshy, sending forth several thick, rough, trailing stems, which branch and extend three or four feet every way: the leaves are on long petioles, large, rough, of a greyish green colour, and cordate: the flowers are axillary, similar in appearance to those of the common cucumber, but smaller, of a pale yellow colour, with a greenish base: the male flowers stand on short peduncles, but the female sit on the germen, which is inferior: the fruit into which it swells has the appearance of a small oval cucumber of a greyish colour, and covered with soft spines. When fully ripe it quits the peduncle, and casts out the seed and juice with great force, and to a considerable distance, through the hole in the base where the footstalk is inserted.

Dioscoridis, antiquorurm.

2 It was cultivated by Gerarde in 1596. It grows abundantly round Constantinople.

For medicinal use the fruit is gathered in September, just before it is ripe: it should be then sprinkled with water; each cucumber cut through longitudinally, thrown upon a sieve, and the clear juice allowed to run from it without pressure. The juice soon becomes turbid, and after standing a few hours a sediment is formed, from which the clear fluid should be decanted. This sediment is elaterium: it should be carefully dried by being spread on fine linen, and exposed to a warm dry air, in the shade. The juice obtained by the expression of the fruit is inspissated, and forms much of the elaterium of the shops.

Qualities.-Elaterium is of a whitish-green, grey colour, light, pulverulent, inflammable, nearly inodorous, and impressing a slightly bitter taste. It contains a peculiar principle, to which Dr. Paris has given the name of elatin, and on which the active properties of the fecula depend: whilst Mr. Hennel and Mr. Morries have ascertained that the elatin of Dr. Paris is a compound of the active principle of the elaterium, which Mr. Morries has named elaterin, and chloro-phylle. The latter experimentalist has described elaterin as crystallizing in colourless, microscopic, rhombic prisms, silky, bitter and styptic to the taste, insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol, ether, and hot fixed oils: insoluble in alkalies, but sparingly soluble in diluted acids. Mr. Morries procured 26 per cent, from good British elaterium : 15 from the worst : but only 5 or 6 from French, (see Extractum Elaterii among the preparations). Elaterium is often of inferior quality from pressure being employed, and the whole juice evaporated so as to form an extract.

The foreign elaterium, which is brought chiefly from Malta, is of a dark colour, and much weaker than the British.

Medical properties and uses.-This fruit is a very violent hydragogue cathartic, operating chiefly on the intestinal exhalants. It was much employed by the ancients, who regarded every part of the plant as purgative; but Dr. Clutter-buck has demonstrated that this is an error.1 It is the juice, which is lodged in the centre of the fruit, directly around the seeds, which is the active part. It is also probable that the term elaterium was given by the ancients to very different substances, and Hippocrates applied it to any violent purgative. Dioscorides extolled the fruit as highly efficacious in melancholic and maniacal attacks: it is still used by the Turks in jaundice. It is frequently prescribed in dropsies, and in combination with calomel proves highly efficacious; but, when incautiously given, it may bring on a dangerous hypercatharsis. It is a curious fact, that the activity of elaterium does not prevent the influence of calomel from being as soon displayed on the glandular system as when it is given alone. The dose of good elaterium is from one-eighth to one-fourth of a grain, repeated once in eight hours.

Officinal preparation.-Extractum Elaterii, L. E. D.

1 Lond. Med, Repository, xii. 67.