Cascarilla. Cascarilla. The bark of Croton Eleuteria, or Casca-rilla bush; Lin. Syst., Moncecia monodelphia: growing in the Bahamas.

Description. In small quilled pieces, from 2 to 4 inches long, and from 2 to 5 lines in diameter; about the size of a pencil, fissured in both directions, of a dull brown colour, but spotted white with crustaceous lichens; short fracture; sometimes it occurs in small flattened pieces without lichens.

Prop. & Comp. Odour spicy and pleasant, taste bitter and aromatic, its properties are yielded to water and spirit. It emits a fragrant odour when burned. The bark contains a bitter mater, in which a crystalline substance, Cascarilline, has been stated to exist; besides which, there are at present some tannic acid, colouring matter, and a volatile oil.

Off. Prep. Infusum Cascarillae. Infusion of Cascarilla. (Cascarilla, in coarse powder, one ounce; boiling distilled water, ten fluid ounces.) [A pint of infusion is made from a troy ounce of cascarilla, in powder, by percolation, or by maceration, with boiling water. U. S.]

Tinctura Cascarillae. Tincture of Cascarilla. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Cascarilla, bruised, two ounces and a half; proof spirit, twenty fluid ounces. Prepared by maceration and percolation.)

Therapeutics. Cascarilla is an aromatic stomachic and tonic, useful in atonic dyspepsia, and in recovery from acute diseases; it seems also to possess antiperiodic powers, but is much less powerful than Cinchona, and is now seldom employed in inter-mittents.

Doses. Of powdered bark, 10 gr. to 30 gr.; of the infusion 1 fl. oz. to 2 fl. oz.; of the tincture, 1/2 fl. drm. to 1 1/2 fl. drm.

Oleum Crotonis. [Oleum Tiglii. U. S.] Croton Oil. The Oil expressed in England from the seed of Croton Tiglium [the oil obtained from the seeds of Croton Tiglium. U. S.]; Lin. Syst., Monoecia monodelphia; growing in the East Indies.

Descripttion. The oil is slightly viscid, from pale yellow to brownish-yellow in colour, of a disagreeable odour and acrid taste. The seeds from which the oil is expressed are smaller and duller in appearance, but otherwise much resemble castor oil seeds. The kernels yield from 50 to 60 per cent. of oil.

Prop. & Comp. Croton oil contains a volatile oily acid, Cro-tonic acid (not active), and a fixed oil. It is soluble in ether and volatile oils; agitated with its own volume of alcohol, and gently heated, it forms a clear solution from which about three-fourths of the oil separate on cooling.

Off. Prep. Linimentum Crotonis. Liniment of Croton Oil. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Croton oil, half a fluid ounce; olive oil, three fluid ounces and a half.)

Therapeutics. A most powerful irritant, drastic, purgative, often causing nausea and vomiting; used in obstinate constipation and cerebral affections, as apoplexy; also in very minute quantities as an ordinary purgative. Externally it gives rise to pustu-lation, and diluted with olive oil or soap liniment, is a valuable counter-irritant.

Dose. Of the oil, 1/2 min. to 2 min., placed on the tongue; or formed into a pill with crumb of bread. As an adjunct, 1/12 min. upwards.

Adulteration. Other fixed oils, as castor oil, might be added, which would be difficult to detect.

Ricini Oleum. Castor Oil. The oil (expressed in England or imported from America) from the seed of Ricinus Communis, the Castor Oilplant; Lin. Syst., Monoecia monodelphia; growing in the East Indies and America.

Description. The oil is thick, viscid, colourless, or a pale straw-yellow, of peculiar odour, and slightly acrid taste. The seeds, about the size of small beans, are oval, compressed, obtuse at the ends, smooth and shining on the surface, of a light ash colour, marbled with dark spots and veins.

Prop. & Comp. Castor Oil differs from most other fixed oils in being entirely soluble in one volume of alcohol and two volumes of rectified spirit; sp. gr. 0.96; it contains three oily acids, Ricinic, Ricin-oleic, and Ricin-stearic, united with Glycerine. It also contains some acrid resinous matter.

Therapeutics. A mild, yet quick, purgative medicine; causing little or no disturbance of the system; only the evacuation of the contents of the bowels. Used in delicate subjects, and in irritable conditions of the alimentary canal, and neighboring parts: as in gastritis, enteritis, dysentery, and cystitis, etc. The seeds are very active, even dangerous.

Dose. 1 fl. drm. to 1 fl. oz.; often given floating on some liquid; sometimes in gelatine or membranous capsules; or in the form of an emulsion with some aromatic.

Adulteration. Other fixed oils, difficult to detect, as, when mixed, they are rendered, to some extent, soluble in alcohol.

Kamela. Kamela Wurrus. The powder which adheres to the capsules of Rottlera tinctoria.

Prop. & Comp. An orange red granular powder, scarcely mixing with water, but for the most part soluble, and forming a red-coloured solution with alcohol and ether. The insoluble residue consists chiefly of tufted hairs. Composition unknown, probably of a resinous nature.

Therapeutics. A powerful anthelmintic, found very efficacious in India in the treatment of tape-worm. It usually purges freely.

Dose. 60 gr. to 120 gr. in honey or thick gruel.

In this order are also contained the Euphorbium Officinarum, yielding the resin in whitish tears called Euphorbium, a very powerful local irritant, used sometimes as a sternutatory, causing violent vomiting and purging when swallowed; also the Janipha or Jatropha Manihot, of which the fecula of the root, when dried and heated, forms Tapioca. Cassava bread is also made from the root; the juice of the tree, when fresh, is acrid and poisonous. Tapioca is a pure form of starch, and is much used as an article of diet.