THE PURGING CROTON.

763

it y c . orn paring croton oil with other violently acrid purgatives, we find'Anguished by its speedy operation, the great depression of the vas-a ar system, as well as the general feeling of debility which it pro-® s , and by the uncertainty of its operation.

SEs,—The value of croton oil as an internal remedial agent dependsd r nci Pally on two circumstances: first, its powerful and speedy action as a0 ast ’c cathartic, by which it is adapted for obviating constipation, or for

rwT -4

jj^^hng on the bowels as a counter-irritant; and, secondly, on the small-/ s of the dose, which in practice presents many advantages. These^stances render it peculiarly applicable in cases requiring power-j and speedy catharsis, and in which the patient cannot swallow, orwith extreme difficulty, as in trismus, coma, and some affections"■e throat; or where he will not swallow, as in mania. In all suches the oil may be dropped on the tongue. In obstinate constipation,

c asi

aiRinous purgatives; and it is of course objectionable in all inflam-• ° r y conditions of the digestive tube. In torpid conditions of thein tendency to apoplexy, in dropsy unconnected with

^’ e ther from the poison of lead, or from other causes, it has sometimesceeded where other powerful cathartics had been tried in vain. It isV( f c ially serviceable where the stomach is irritable, and rejects more

>r y conditions of the digestive tube.canal,

f U ] a ”unation, in paralysis —in a word, in any cases in which a power-ed. a ”d speedy intestinal irritant is required, either for the purpose oft gating the canal merely, or for acting as a revulsive or counter-irri-Oa ’ an< ^ thereby relieving distant parts, croton oil is a very useful, and,’ll any occasions, most valuable cathartic. In employing it, twoc U °ns are necessary: it must be avoided, or at least used with greatho tl0n ’ * n ex treine debility ; and it is improper in inflammatory affec-Ujj ns of the digestive organs. The great drawback to its use is itss ca erta ’”ty- In one case it acts with extreme violence; in another, itful rCe ^ Produces any effect. In the diseases of children, where a power-th Purgative is required, croton oil has been administered, on account ofc .^muteness of the dose, and the facility of its exhibition. In liydro-^alus, and other head affections of children, I have several times

"’as i

’t where other cathartics had failed, or where extreme difficultyr e e xperienced in inducing the patients to swallow the more ordinaryU, Cc ’ es °f this class. In some of these it has disappointed me. InPh i Case a child of four years of age, affected with incipient hydroce-frj Us > I gave six doses, of one drop each, of the oil without any effect.

obstructions (chlorosis and amenorrhcea) it has occasionallyj lQ ' e d serviceable. In tape-worm it has been recommended; but I haveexperience of its efficacy.

bfiv, on the skin, croton oil has been employed to produce rubefac-

Or,

0tl a nd a pustular eruption, and thereby to relieve diseases of internal

lA a ” s ) on the principle of counter-irritation, before explained (p. 45).%j^J rirna tion of the mucous membrane lining the air-passages, peripneu-

- glandular swellings, rheumatism, gout, and neuralgia, are some oflfe leases against which it has been applied in this way, and doubtless1, l'*ntly with benefit. It is sometimes used in the undiluted form,C oil, oil

the

^ with benefit. It is sometimes

of. lllo re commonly with twice or thrice its volume of olivev e i.’pentine, soap liniment, alcohol, ether, or some other convenientto c * e - But, in all the cases just enumerated, it has never appeared11)0 to present any advantage over many other counter-irritants in