478 Materia Mkdica. — Ricini semina, oleum. part n.

pour. 1 The juice becomes black when it is exposed for a shorttime to the action of atmosheric air. 2

Qualities. — The leaves of Toxicodendron are inodorous,and have a mawkish subacrid taste. Their virtues are com-pletely extracted by water, and partially by alcohol. Theaqueous infusion reddens litmus paper ; precipitates the solu-tion of sulphate of iron black; that of nitrate of silver brown;and throws down a precipitate with gelatine. Hence it con-tains gum, resin, gallic acid, and tannin; but a narcotic prin-ciple is also present, on which its effects principally depend.

Medical properties and uses. — The leaves are stimulant andnarcotic. In the hands of Dr. Alderson of Hull, who intro-duced them as a remedy, they proved successful in several casesof paralysis; but we believe their efficacy in this disease hasnot been confirmed by the observations of other physicians.They excite a sense of heat and pricking, and irregular twitch-ings in the affected limbs. We believe some advantage hasbeen found from their use in herpetic eruptions. They havealso been found useful in the form of tincture, in cramp of thestomach.

The dose of the powdered leaves may be gr. ss, given twiceor thrice a day, and gradually increased to grs. iv, in the formof a bolus.

RICINUS. Spec. Plant. Willd. iv. 56i.CI. 21. Ord. 8. Monoecia Monadelphia. Nat.ord. Tricoccae, Linn.

Euphorbia:, Juss.G. 1720. Male. Calyx five-parted. Corolla none. Stamens nume-rous.

------------- Female. Calyx three-parted. Corolla none. Styles three,

bifid. Capsule three-celled. Seed one.* With palmated leaves.Sp. 1. R. communis* Common Ricinus or Palma Christi. Med.

Bot. 2d ed. 625. t. 221. Rheede Hort. Malab. ii. 57. t. 32.Officinal. Ricini semina et oleum, Lond. Ricini communis

SEMINA ; ET OLEUM FIXUM, Edill. RlCINUS ; OLEUM E SEMINI-

bus exphessum, Dub. The seeds, and the fixed oil of the seedsof the Ricinus. Castor oil.

Si/n. Le Noix et l'Huile du Kicin (F.), Kizinuskorner ; Rizinusohl (G.), Isemi e 1'olio di Ricino (/.), Palmoel ; Ricin socl (S-), Erunda (San.), Khirwa(Arab.), Sittiimoonaka unnay (Tarn.)

This species of Ricinus is an annual plant, a native of the

1 Vans Mons lias proved that the acrimonious matter of the plant is exhaled duringthe night, combined with carbonated hydrogen gas. He collected ajar full of thegas, and on his brother, who was very susceptible of the poison of this species ofrhus, plunging his arm into it, the skin was quickly inflamed and blistered. Actestie la Soc. de Med. de Bruxelles.

2 This juice forms an indelible black stain on linen cloth; and is used in Japan,where the shrub is a native, as a varnish. Phil. Trans, xlix. 158.

3 Kuci Dioscoridis.

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