CANTHARIS

(Lat.), n. f. Ka2n(ka3n)'tha2r(tha9r)-i2s. Gen., canthar'idis. Gr., Ka.v9a.pis. Fr., can thar ide. Ger., Can thar ide, spanische Fliege (2d def.). It., canlarida. Sp., cantdrida. 1. A genus of coleopterous insects, now referred to Lytta (q. v. for species not here given). 2. The Spanish fly (see LYTTA vesica to ria). In English it is usually written in the pi., cantharides, which is also the official title in the German and some other pharmacopoeias. Applied externally, the preparations act as rubefacients and vesicants; taken by the mouth, in ordinary medicinal doses, they stimulate the gastro-intestinal and genito-urinary tracts, and, given in minute doses, they have been used for the mitigation of strangury. For the poisonous effects, see CANTHARID ISM. [A, 322; B.] Acetum cantharid is [Br. Ph.], Acetum cantharidum, Acidum aceticum cantharidum. Fr., acetole de can thar ide, vinaigre can thar ide. Ger., Canthari den e i a. Vinegar of cantharides: made by digesting 2 oz. of cantharides with 2 fl. oz. of glacial acetic acid and 13 fl. oz. of acetic acid at a temperature of 200 C., percolating, expre ing the residue with 5 fl. oz. of acetic acid, mixing the percolate and the expre ed liquid, and adding acetic acid to 1 pint. A similar preparation, made with vinegar, was official in the old Lond. Ph., and the vinaigre rubefiant of the Formulary of the Paris Hospitals (1839) was also similar, containing, besides the cantharides and acetic acid, alcohol, O, no; Oz, not; Os, whole; Th, thin; Th2, the; U, like oo in [s. 63]