258

Materia Medica.

part II.

This species of momordica is a perennial} native of the southof Europe, flowering in June and July. It is cultivated inEngland, but does not survive the severity of our * winters.The root is large and fleshy, sending forth several thick roughtrailing stems, which branch and extend three or four feetevery way: the leaves are on long petioles, large, rough, of agrayish green colour, and cordate: the flowers are axillary,similar in appearance to those of the common cucumber, butsmaller, of a pale yellow colour, with a greenish base: themale flowers stand on short peduncles, but the female sit onthe germen, which is inferior: the fruit into which it swellshas the appearance of a small oval cucumber, of a grayish co-lour, and covered with prickles. When fully ripe it quits thepeduncle, and casts out the seed and juice, with great forceand to a considerable distance, through the hole in the basewhere the footstalk is inserted.

For medicinal use the fruit is gathered in September justbefore it is ripe; and the clear juice which runs from it, andthat obtained by the expression of the fruit, are inspissated,and form the elaterium of the shops.

Qualities. — The juice is nearly inodorous, and has a veryslightly bitter taste. It deposits by rest a considerable portionof feculent matter; for an account of the nature of which seeJExtractum Elaterii among the Preparations.

Medical properties and uses. — This fruit is a very violentcathartic. It was much employed by the ancients, who ex-tolled it as highly efficacious in melancholic and maniacalattacks. They used the root also in similar cases. It is stillfrequently given in dropsies; and although when incauti-ously given, it may bring on a dangerous hypercatharsis, yet,properly prescribed, it is the best hydragogue with which Iam acquainted. The extract is always employed in preferenceto the recent fruit.

Officinal preparation. — Extractum Elaterii. L. E. D.

MORUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 368.CI. 21. Ord.i. Moncecia Tetrandria. Nat. ord. Scabridae Linn.

Urticas Juss.G. 1664. Male. Calyx four-parted. Corolla 0.

Female. Calyx four-leaved. Corolla 0. Calyx becoming a

berry. Seed one.Species 5. M. nigra. Common Mulberry tree. Med. Bot. 2d ed.

712. £.243.Officinal. Mori BACoa:. Lond. Mulberries.

Syn. Murier noir (F.) Schwarze Maulbeeren (G.) Morone o Gelso (1.) Moras (5.)

This species of mulberry is a native of Persia, whence it

1 It was cultivated by Gerarde in 1596.