Ascites

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

an effusion of fluid of any kind into the abdomen; especially effusion of fluid within the ca cavity of the peritoneum, as distinguished from ovarian dropsy and dropsy of the uterus. There is an idiopathic ascites, which may be of a chronic or acute form, or of an asthenic type; and a sympathetic or consequential ascites. Another division is into active ascites, that in which there is a large effusion of serum into the cavity of the peritoneum, after undue exposure to cold and wet; and passive ascites, that produced by disease of the heart or liver, 20-Vol. I-Cyc ASCLEPIADACEE (as-klep-e-a-dasē-i), an order of plants closely allied to the apocynaceæ, or dogbanes. Shrubs, or more rarely herbs, almost always tly twining. Leaves milky, and frequently entire, opposite; flowers umbellate, fascicled, or racemose. Their favorite habitat is Africa. They occur also in India and the tropics generally. Fully 1,000 are known. The milk, which in some species furnishes caoutchouc, is usually acrid and bitter, though apparently not so deleterious as that of apocy- That of calotropis gigantea, the nacea. akund, yercum, or mudar plant of India, has been used with effect in leprosy, elephantiasis, and some other diseases. The roots of cynanchum tomentosum, and periploca emetica are emetic. Gymnema lactiferum is the cow-plant of Ceylon. Pergularia edulis and periploca esculenta are eatable. Diplopepis vomitoria is expectorant and diaphoretic, and is used like ipecacuanha in dysentery. Hemidesmus indica is the Indian sarsaparilla. The leaves of cymanchum argel are used in Egypt for adulterating senna. Mardenia tenacissima is employed for bowstrings by the mountaineers of Rajmahal, while M. tinctoria and gymnema tingens yield an indigo of excellent quality.