Castor. The dried PrAeputial Follicles and their secretion of Castor Fiber, the Common Beaver, an animal belonging to the order Rodentia. There are two kinds of Castor met with in commerce, the Russian and the Canadian; the former is the more highly esteemed, but the latter is the only one now met with in English commerce. It is obtained from the Hudson's Bay Territory.

Med. Prop. and Action. Mild, stimulant, and antispasmodic. The best form is the Ammoniated Tincture (Pharm. Edin.) (Castor iiss., Assaftida 3x., Spirit of Ammonia Oij , strain and filter), in doses of 3j. - 3ij. Prom its frequent adulteration, it has lost much of its standing as an anti-spasmodic; but, when pure, it appears to be a remedy of considerable power. When taken, even in moderate doses, it is absorbed into the system, and communicates its peculiar odour, slightly altered, to the urine. It contains a Volatile Oil and a crystalline principle, Castorin; but very little of the latter is obtained from American Castor. It was formerly regarded as em-menagogue.

Offic. Prep. Tinctura Castorei (Castor oz. j.; Rect. Sp. Oj.; prepared by maceration). Dose, exx. - fl. drm. iss. Dose of Castor, gr. v. - gr. xx in pills.

* Diseases of Children, p. 79.

765. Therapeutic Uses

In Hysterical, Nervous, and Spasmodic Affections, Castor, particularly in the form of the Ammoniated Tincture (ut supra), is a very valuable remedy, and one too much neglected at the present day. It may also be advantageously combined with Aloes or the Tincture of Valerian. M. Trousseau speaks highly of its efficacy in this class of cases. Dr. Joy* gives two excellent formulas for its use: - Castoreij., Ammon. Carb. gr. exx., Syr. q. s. ft. bolus. T. Castor. f3j., Ether. Sulphur. exx., T. Opii eviij., Aq. Cinnam. fiss., ft. haust. ter quotidie sumend. In Epilepsy, its use is as old as Celsus, who recommends its employment. Dysmenorrha, attendant upon the expulsion of menstrual coagula, may often, according to M. Vannaire, be relieved by large doses of Castor.

766. In Spasmodic Asthma, Dr

Graves states that he has often derived decided advantage from a combination of equal parts of T. Castor. and Vin. IpecacuanhAe. During the paroxysm, he also found much benefit result from the application to the chest of a flannel steeped in water as hot as the patient can bear. It was formerly esteemed in Hooping Cough.

767. In Intermittent Fevers, particularly in Quartans, Castor, in combination with Myrrh, is spoken of by Sennertus as a specific.§