croton oil

American  

noun

1. a brownish-yellow oil, expressed from the seeds of the croton, Croton tiglium, that is a drastic purgative and counterirritant.

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croton oil British  

noun

1. a yellowish-brown oil obtained from the plant Croton tiglium, formerly used as a drastic purgative See also croton

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Etymology

Origin of croton oil

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

croton oil

This was a hardy sexagenarian named George Heis, for whom the only consequences of a late evening snack of beer, pancakes, spinach, arsenic and croton oil, prepared by Mrs. Hahn, was partial paralysis and indigestion.

From Time Magazine Archive

Such effects may all be produced, even up to the discharge of blood, by the absorption of croton oil from the skin.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 "Crocoite" to "Cuba" by Various

The bowels should be thoroughly opened by calomel, croton oil, or Henry's solution, and a light milk diet given.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

It was so named because formerly supposed to exist in croton oil.

From The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary Section C by Project Gutenberg

He examined Germinie, and ordered the application of croton oil.

From Germinie Lacerteux by Goncourt, Jules de