VART HI.

Extracts.

about to appear, and allow the juice to remain six hours todeposit the feces; then evaporate the pure juice to a properconsistence with a moderate heat."

Syn. Extraitde Ciqu^ (K), Schierlings-extrakt (G.), Estratto del'erba dellaCicuta (/.)•

This extract, or inspissated juice, has a foetid odour, a bit-terish saline taste, and a dark olive colour. Although it bethe form in which Stoerk introduced Hemlock into practice,yet the narcotic power of the remedy is always impaired bythis mode of preparation, and it is still more weakened bykeeping, being nearly lost when a saline efflorescence begins toappear on the surface of the extract. It is used in the samecases as the powder, with which it is frequently mixed when itis to be made into pills: and is an useful adjunct to mercurialsin cutaneous affections. Bei-gius recommends it in impotency. 1The dose is gr. iij. gradually increased to 9j. given twice orthrice a-day.

EXTRACTUM ELATERII, Lond. Extract of Elate-rium.

" Slice ripe wild Cucumbers, express the juice very gently,and pass it through a very fine hair sieve into a glass vessel;then set it aside for some hours, until the thicker part has sub-sided. Reject the thinner supernatant part, and dry thethicker part with a gentle heat."

Syii. Elaterium (J^.), Estratto del frutto della Mbmordica (^T.).

ELATERIUM, Dub. Elaterium.

" Slice ripe wild Cucumbers, and strain thejuice very lightly,expressed through a fine hair sieve into a glass vessel; then setit aside for some hours until the thicker part subsides; rejectthe supernatant liquor, and dry the fecula, laid upon a linencloth and covered with another, by a medium heat."

The substance obtained by these processes is neither an ex-tract nor an inspissated juice, but a peculiar modification offecula combined with some very active principle which is de-posited with it; and which has been named Elatin by Dr. Paris.It is contained in the juice which surrounds the seeds only;and subsides from this juice obtained without pressure. FromDr. Clutterbuck's experiments 2 , the quantity of elaterium inthe fruit appears to be so small, that he obtained six grains ofit only from forty cucumbers. Dr. Paris found that tengrains of the best elaterium, as it is found in the shops, con-tain one grain only of elatin ; and in general it is adulteratedwith starch, on which account we scarcely ever obtain twosamples of it of the same strength. When good, it is of a

1 Impotentiam yirilem sub usu Conii curatara observavi, in viro quodam plus-quam quadragenario, qui oranem erectionem penis perdiderat, postinde (amenplures liberos procreavit." Bergim, Mat. Med. i. 195.

1 London Med. Septs, vol. xii,