CROTON OIL

The expre ed oil of the seeds of the Croton tiglium; formerly called Grana tiglia, and Molucca grains. The tree is a native of Ceylon, and of Malabar and the Molucca Islands. Its seeds are very purgative; and their expre ed oil so drastic, that a single drop will often prove violently operative, completely emptying the bowels and exciting a copious watery secretion from them. The most active form for its exhibition is made into a pill with bread crumb; it may also be rubbed with a little mucilage of gum arabic, and given in a liquid form; but it always requires much caution in its administration. [s. 318]