SQUIRTING CUCUMBER.

1083

^nc 5 aiU ^ can on ty serve to deteriorate its quality, and render the dose;i j. erta in.” The Dublin College orders the elaterium to be received on. en c 'loth, covered with another, and dried with a medium [i. e.t ' ecn 100° F. and 300° F.] lieat. At Mitcham, women are usuallyI'j°yed in the preparation of elaterium.in^tt ler ^ le elaterium has deposited from the juice, a mucilaginoush eeji er subsides, which greatly deteriorates the elaterium (if it has not^"ch Previous ty separated), and renders it when dry, dark, gummy, and

—The Elaterium ( elaterium: extractum elaterii, L. E. D. j re yMerium, D.) of commerce, is a very variable article. Two kindsj '^tinguished, the English and the Maltese.tij ' ^ n fflish Elaterium, ( Elaterium anglicum) is manufactured at Apo->- ! ' l( Caries ’ Hall, at Mitcham, and perhaps at other places. The finest ( elate-flak a ^ Un h Auct.) occurs in light, friable, thin, very slightly curled°f tyf’ ° r Pa t ca hes, or fragments, which frequently bear the impressiong r . e muslin on which the elaterium was dried. Its colour is pale,i s . green, which by exposure to light becomes yellowish. Its tastel l'at f an( l bitterish ; it has a faint animal odour (not very dissimilar toof 01 ergot of rye), but combined with a fragrancy which reminds mei-j Ulr( nna or tea. By keeping nine or ten years, a sample of good elate-tnij ! n «iy museum has assumed a sparkling appearance, as if it con-Inf Ver ' m inute crystals.

kinds ( elaterium nigrum , Auct.) are sometimes hard, break(ll fficulty, or with a resinous fracture, are much curled, gummy, andth e ‘ Cop,urc 'd (brown or olive-green). They are probably prepared fromI ^ UlCe , alter the finest elaterium has been separated. In my museum,l) r a ' u several varieties of this inferior kind, which were collected byjj 'Uterbuck. One is in the form of a brownish powder.jU r ‘ ^lutterbuck states, that of the best specimens of elaterium froms 0 rt becaries’ Hall, spirit dissolves more than half; while of inferior$ a ’ a fourth part only is dissolved. Air. Barry (Paris , Pharmacol .)p ro ' ll at the solubility of elaterium, manufactured by Dr. Clutterbuck’sess > is as follows :—

Te n g.

® rain s of Elaterium, manufactured according to Dr. Clutterbuck’sprocess.

Dissolved in Spirit, ofSpecific Gravity 0*809.

5'a grains.

6"2 grains.

6. t grains.

6 grains.

and Co" ,C " 2d sample .

A p"thecari es - Haii san,p

^h\i^ afiese Elaterium (Elaterium melitense ).—This is imported fromfreq u ‘ is in much larger flakes than the best English elaterium, andc° loiir . y has some adherent paper on which it has been dried ; itssp ec i ls niuch paler, sometimes with hardly a trace of green. Someto ens are more friable and softer, and occasionally are rather chalkythey e /r. touc h- My specimens are mixtures of chalk and starch, hencethat M e . rvesce with acids, and become blue with iodine. I am assureddeep ei . ese elaterium is mixed, in this country, with buckthorn juice tods colour, and promote its purgative operation.