Oleum Chenopodii. Oil of Chenopodium, official.

Chenopodium ambrosioides, var. anthclminticum, Linne.

A volatile oil distilled from the fruit (or fresh herb).

Habitat. W. Indies, C. and S. America, waste places, roadsides; naturalized in United States, Europe, Africa; cultivated in Maryland for the oil.

Syn. American (Wild) Wormseed, Stinking Weed, Goosefoot, Jerusalem (Jesuit) Tea, Jerusalem Oak (Jak), Fructus Chenopodii Anthelmintic!; 01. Cheno-pod., Oil of American Wormseed; Fr. Anserine Vermifuge (plante fieurie), Essence de Chenopode anthelmintique; Ger. Amerikanischer Wurmsamen, Wurmsamenol, Chenopodiumol.

Che-no-po'di-um. L. see etymology, above, of Chenopodiaceae.

Am-bro-si-oi'des. L. fr. Gr. a, priv., not, +

mortal, +

- i. e., resembling that which is immortal, once thought to effect that condition when taken.

An-thel-min'ti-cum. L. fr. Gr. worm antagonizer or destroyer.

against, +

a worm - i. e.,

Plant. - Annual or perennial, .6-1.6 M. (2-5°) high; stem angular, furrowed, branched; leaves toothed, yellowish-green, gland-dotted on under surface; flowers July-Sept., greenish-yellow, dense leafy spikes. Fruit, 2 Mm. (1/12') thick, size of pin's head, depressed-globular, greenish-gray, integuments friable, containing a lenticular, obtusely edged, glossy, black seed; odor peculiar, terebinthinate; taste bitter, pungent. All parts of the plant have this disagreeable odor and same medicinal properties when dry and fresh; grows best in rubbish, along fences, in village streets, vacant lots, and should be collected in October.

Constituents. - Volatile oil 3-3.5 p. c, from fresh herb .5-1. p. c.

Oleum Chenopodii. Oil of Chenopodium. - This volatile oil, obtained by distilling with water or superheated steam, is a colorless, pale yellowish liquid, characteristic, disagreeable odor and taste, soluble in 8 vols. of 70 p. c. alcohol, sp. gr. 0.970, laevorotatory; contains a terpene - pinene, C10H16, and a liquid oxygenated portion, C10H16O. Should be kept cool, dark, in well-stoppered, amber-colored bottles. Dose, ij-10 (13-.6 Ml. (Cc.)).

Preparations. - (Unoff.) Fruit: Fluidextract, dose, xv-30 (1-2 Ml. (Cc.)). Decoction (water or milk), dose, 5j-2 (30-60 Ml. (Cc.)). Fresh-plant: Expressed Juice, dose, 3ij-4 (8-15 Ml. (Cc.)), ter die.

PROPERTIES. - Anthelmintic, vermifuge, round worms (Ascaris lumbricoides).

USES. - While mainly for worms, it has also been used in intermit-tents, hysteria, chorea, nervous affections, taenia. May give the powder incorporated with molasses or syrup, but the oil is more popular, being well taken on sugar by children. Should be given twice daily for several days, on empty stomach if possible, and follow with a dose of castor oil. Fruit, official 1820-1900). Allied Plants: