CASTOR

(Lat.), n. m. Ka2st(ka3st)'o2r(or). Gen., cast'or is. Gr., (ciorcop (1st, 2d, and 3d defs.). Fr., c. (1st def.), castoreum (2d def.). Ger., Biber (1st def.), Bibergeil (2d def.). It., castoro (1st def.), castoreo (2d def.). 1. Of Linnaeus, the beaver, a genus of amphibious rodents. 2. Hence the substance, also called castoreum, consisting of the dried preputial follicles and their contents derived from several species of C. Two principal varieties, American c. and Siberian c., are distinguished. The former is the kind official in most of the pharmacopoeias, while some also order the latter, and the Fr. Cod. and Finn. Ph. leave it uncertain which kind is designated. C. is a stimulant and antispasmodic employed in hysteria, spasmodic affections, depre ion of the vital powers and similar conditions. 3. According to Adanson, Dioscorides's name for saffron (Crocus). 4. A corruption of cast us. In composition, the Ricinus communis or Vitex cast us. 5. In San Domingo, the name of an undetermined vine. [B. 115, 121.] American c. Lat., castoreum [Br. Ph., Ger. Ph., Austr. Ph., Swi Ph., Finn. Ph.], castoreum americanum (seu can a dense [Belg. Ph., Dan. Ph., Norweg_. Ph., Swed. Ph., Ru . Ph., Netherl. Ph.]). Fr., castoreum d\4merique, castoreum [Fr. Cod.]. Ger., am erik an is che (oder can a disc he) Bibergeil. It., castoreo america no. Sp., castoreo [Sp. Ph.]. Roum., castoreu [Roum. Ph.]. C. (2d def.) obtained from the American beaver (C. american us). It is the variety of c. ordinarily met with in commerce and forms pairs of club-shaped, wrinkled, brownish sacs, seldom exceeding 4 oz. in weight, containing a somewhat glo y, brownish, friable substance of an aromatic odor and pungent bitter taste. It contains from 45 to 50 per cent, of substances soluble in alcohol (see Tinctura CASTOREI), including a resin, the crystalline castor in, and salicin. It also affords a volatile oil. See Oil of c. When fresh, c. is lighter in color and the contents of the sacs are unctuous. [B, 81, 95.] Axungia castor is. Ger., Biberfett. According to some, the same as axungia castorei (q. v., under CASTOREUM), but, more properly, beaver-fat, which may be employed medicinally like other animal fats. [B, 180.] Canadian c. Lat., castoreum can a dense. Fr., castoreum du Canada. Ger., kanadisch.es Bibergeil (oder Castoreum). See American c. C. american us [Cuvier]. The American beaver, usually regarded as only a variety of C. fiber. [B, 81. 95.] C.-beans. See C.- seeds. C. can a dens is [Kuhl]. The C. american us. [B, 81.] C. fiber [Linnaeus]. The beaver, a species of C. (1st def.) about 2 ft. long, inhabiting the north temperate zone of either hemisphere and living in burrows or houses built in streams. The European and Asiatic beaver is somewhat larger and of paler fur than the American variety, and furnishes Siberian c. [B, 81.] C. Galliae [Geoff.]. The European variety of the C. fiber. [B, 93.] C.-oil. Lat.,o2eum ricin i [U. S. Ph., Br. Ph., Ger. Ph.] (seu e semine ricin i [Fr. Cod.]), oleum palrnce Christ i. Fr., huile de ricin [Fr. Cod.]. Ger., Bidnusol. Castorol. It., olio di ricino. Sp., aceite de ricino. 1. A fixed oil obtained by expre ion from the seeds of Ricinus communis. It forms a viscid, transparent, pale-yellowish liquid of faint odor and oily taste, and of the sp. gr. of from 0'950 to 0'960. It is a mild and efficient purgative with a tendency to produce subsequent constipation, and is also said to be a galactagogue and emmenagogue. It is used locally to prevent alopecia. [B, 81.] 2. See OIL of c. C.-oil beans. See C.-seeds. C.-oil plant. The Ricinus communis. [B, 75, 172.] C. pills. Pills each containing 2J grains of Ru ian c., 1J grain of succinic acid, and sufficient balsam of Peru to insure the proper consistence. [B, 200.] C.-sac. Ger., Kastorbeutel, Bibergeilsack. The follicle which with its unctuous contents constitutes c. (2d def.). [B, 81, 180.] C.-seeds. The seeds of Ricinus communis. [B.] C.-wood. The Magnolia glauca. [B, 275.] Chalky Ru ian c. A variety of Ru ian c. containing an exce of calcium carbonate. [B, 5.] Compound oil of c. Fr., huile de castoreum compo see. A, preparation official in the Palat. Disp., 1764, made by taking 15 parts of castoreum, 7 each of ca ia ligne a, Arabian costus, saffron, cubebs, euphorbium, galbanum, opopanax, nard us indica, and storax, and 10 each of cyperus rotund us oriental is, sabine, long pepper, black pepper, pyrethrum. and schoenanthe. sprinkling the whole with a sufficient quantity of good wine, adding 1,080 parts of olive-oil, and, after leaving on the sand-bath for several days till the moisture is di ipated, expre ing the residue. According to the Wurtemb. Ph., it is made by taking 7 parts of castoreum, 9 each of pyrethrum, sabine, schoenanthe, long pepper, and black pepper. 7 each of nard us indica, ca ia ligne a. Arabian costus, cubebs. and saffron, and 180 each of white wine and olive-oil, and proceeding in the same way. [B, 119, 200 (a. 21).] English c. See American c. European c., German c. See SIBERIAN c. Huile de c. (Fr.). See C.-oil (1st def.). Lozenges of c. Fr., tablet tes de castoreum. Troches each containing 1 part of c., 16 parts of white sugar, and a sufficiency of mucilage of tragacanth. [Austr. Ph., 1820 (B, 119).] Oil of c. Fr., huile volatile de castoreum (1st def.). Ger., dtherisches Oel des Castoreums (1st def.), atherisches Bibergeilol. 1. A pale-yellow volatile oil obtained by distillation from c., and having its odor A, ape; A, at; A, ah; A<, all; Ch, chin; Ch, loch (Scottish); [s. 116]