Cathartic
Cathartic , adjective
[Greek {not transcribed}, from {not transcribed} to cleanse, from {not transcribed} pure; akin to French chaste.]
1.
(Medicine) Cleansing the bowels; promoting evacuations by stool; purgative.
2.
Of or pertaining to the purgative principle of senna, as cathartic acid.
Also: Catharical
Cathartic , noun
[Greek {not transcribed}.]
(Medicine) A medicine that promotes alvine discharges; a purge; a purgative of moderate activity.
The cathartics are more energetic and certain in action that the laxatives, which simply increase the tendency to alvine evacuation; and less powerful and irritaint that the drastic purges, which cause profuse, repeated, and watery evacuations.