A warm cathartic.--_Dose_, 1/2 to 1-1/2 oz.; in habitual costiveness,
dyspepsia, jaundice, &c.
_Obs._ By boiling the saffron as ordered by the Dublin and Edinburgh
Colleges, nearly the whole of its fragrance is dissipated. A better plan
is to macerate it in the tincture for a few days, previously to adding the
latter to the decoction of the other ingredients. After the tincture has
been strained off from the saffron, the latter may be washed with a little
water, to remove any adhering colour and odour, and this may be added to
the decoction. The addition of the tincture produces a deposit of
mucilaginous and feculent matter, which has been dissolved out of the
liquorice, for which reason some houses omit the latter altogether, and
supply its place with an equal quantity of sugar or treacle, and a little
colouring. By this method the liquid, after being once obtained clear,
will continue so for any length of time.
4. (Wholesale.) Solazzi juice, 1-1/2 lb.; kali (carbonate of potassa), 4
oz.; hepatic aloes, 5-1/2 oz.; myrrh (small), 5 oz.; water, 4-1/2 galls.;
boil to 3 galls., strain through flannel, cool, and add, of compound
tincture of cardamoms, 10 pints; previously digested for 10 days on
saffron, 2-1/2 oz.; mix well, and add essential oil of nutmeg, 15 drops;
oils of cassia and caraway, of each 10 drops; and oils of cloves and
pimento, of each 5 drops; in a week decant the clear portion from the
sediment, and preserve it in a cool place.
5. (Concentrated; D. A. CONCENTRA'TUM, L.)--_a._ Lump sugar, 8 oz.;
colouring, 1/4 pint; carbonate of potash, 2 oz.; aloes, 3-1/2 oz.; myrrh
and saffron, of each 2-1/2 oz.; compound tincture of cardamoms, 1/2 a
gall.; water, 3 pints; boil the first five in the water, until reduced to
nearly one half; cool, and add the tincture, previously digested for a
week, on the saffron; and proceed as above. 14 oz. of extract of liquorice
may be used instead of the sugar and colouring.
_b._ Aloes, myrrh, liquorice, and potassa (all in powder), and saffron as
last; compound tincture of cardamoms, 5-3/4 pints; digest a fortnight, and
filter. In this way a very odorous and beautiful preparation is produced,
which has been much admired. The above are said to possess four times the
strength of the College preparation.
=Decoction, Anticol'ic.= _Syn._ ANTICOLIC AP'OZEM, DEGLAND'S COLIC
MIXTURE; APOZ'EMA ANTICOL'ICUM, L. _Prep._ Senna leaves, 2 oz.; boiling
water, 1 pint; simmer gently to 16 fl. oz.; press out the liquor, add
sulphate of soda, 1 oz.; syrup of buckthorn, 2 oz.; and strain through
flannel. Used by glassfuls in lead colic, or after poisoning by lead.
=Decoction, Antidar'trous.= Decoction of Bitter Sweet (see _below_).
=Decoction of Apocynum.= _Syn._ DECOCTUM APOCYNI. Root of _Apocynum
cannabinum_, 1 oz.; juniper berries, 1 oz.; water, 3 pints. Boil to 2
pints. A wine-glassful frequently. In dropsy.
=Decoction of Ar'nica.= _Syn._ DECOCTUM ARNICÆ, L. _Prep._ 1. (Swediaur.)
Flowers of _Arnica montana_, 1 oz.; water, 3 pints; boil to a quart;
filter, and add of syrup of ginger, 3 oz.--_Dose_, 1 to 2 fl. oz. every
two or three hours; in aphonia, paralysis of the voluntary muscles,
rheumatism, &c.; and as a substitute for bark in putrid fever, agues, &c.
2. (Ph. Cast. Aust., 1841.) Arnica root, 2 dr.; water, 9 oz.; boil to 6
oz., and strain.--_Dose_, 1 oz.; as the last.
=Decoction of Asparagus.= _Syn._ DECOCTUM ASPARAGI. Roots of asparagus, 1
oz.; water, 2 pints; boil for 10 or 15 minutes; diuretic.
=Decoction, Astrin'gent.= _Syn._ DECOCTUM ASTRIN'GENS, L. _Prep._
(Swediaur.) Oak-bark, pomegranate peel, and tormentil root, of each 2 dr;
water and milk, of each 1 lb.; boil 12 minutes, add of cinnamon, 2 dr.;
boil 2 or 3 minutes longer, and strain.--_Dose._ A wine-glassful.
=Decoction of Avens Root.= _Syn._ DECOCTUM GEI. (Dr A. T. Thompson.) Avens
root, 1 oz.; water, 1 pint; boil for 15 minutes, and strain.
=Decoction of Baobab Tree.= _Syn._ DECOCTUM ADANSONIÆ. Bark of the baobab
tree, 6 dr.; water, 1-1/2 pint; boil to a pint, and strain. Used as a
substitute for decoction of bark.
=Decoction of Bark.= _Syn._ DECOCTION OF CINCHO'NA; DECOCTUM CINCHO'NÆ, L.
_Prep._ 1. Ph. L.:--_a_. (D. OF YELLOW B.; D. CINCHONÆ, B. P.) Yellow
cinchona or calisaya bark (bruised), 1-1/4 _oz._; distilled water, 1 pint;
boil for 10 minutes in a lightly covered vessel; when cold, strain and
pour on the marc sufficient water to make up 1 pint.
_b._ (D. OF PALE B.; D. C. PALLIDÆ, Ph. L.) From pale cinchona or loxa
bark, as above (_a._)
_c._ (D. OF RED B.; D. C. RUBRÆ, Ph. L.) From red bark, as above (_a_).
2. (Ph. E.) Brown, grey, yellow, or red cinchona (bruised), 1 oz.; water,
24 fl. oz.; boil for 10 minutes; when cold filter the liquor, and
evaporate it to 16 fl. oz.
3. (Ph. D.) From pale or loxa bark, similar to the 'Decoctum cinchonæ
pallidæ' of Ph. L. (1. _b._ _above_).
_Dose, &c._ 1 to 2 fl. oz., 3 or 4 times daily, as a tonic, stomachic, and
febrifuge, when the stomach will not bear the administration of bark in
powder; in fevers, dyspepsia, convalescence, &c. The plan recommended by
the Edinburgh College of filtering the decoction when cold is absurd.
According to Soubeiran, 146 gr. of the deposit thus removed contained 86
gr. soluble in alcohol, and rich in the cinchona alkaloids. This liquid
should, therefore, be well shaken before pouring it out for use, instead
of being filtered. The addition of a few drops of either sulphuric or
hydrochloric acid to the water greatly increases its solvent power, and
also, consequently, the medicinal value of this preparation. (See
_below_.)
=Decoction of Bark (Acid'ulated).= _Syn._ DECOCTUM CINCHONÆ ACIDULA'TUM,
L. _Prep._ 1. To the water for any one of the above, add dilute sulphuric
acid, 1-1/2 fl. dr.; boil 10 minutes, and strain whilst hot.
2. (Sir J. Wylie.) Cinchona bark, 1 oz.; water, 16 fl. oz.; diluted
sulphuric acid, 1 dr.; as last.
=Decoction of Bark (Facti''tious).= _Syn._ DECOCTUM CINCHONÆ FACTITIUM, L.
_Prep._ (Ph. Bor.) Willow bark and horse-chestnut bark, of each 1/2 oz.;
calamus root and cloves, of each 1/4 oz.; water, 16 fl. oz.; boil to one
half. Used as a substitute for decoction of cinchona bark, but is vastly
inferior.
=Decoction of Bark and Ser'pentary.= _Syn._ DECOCTUM CINCHONÆ CUM
SERPENTA'RIA, L. _Prep._ (Sir J. Pringle.) Peruvian bark, 3 dr.; water, 1
pint; boil to one half, and infuse in the hot decoction, serpentaria root,
3 dr. As a diaphoretic stimulant, and tonic, in fevers, and as a gargle in
sore throat.
=Decoction of Bar'ley.= _Syn._ BARLEY-WATER; DECOCTUM HOR'DEI (B. P.), L.
_Prep._ 1. (B. P.) Pearl barley, 1 oz. (washed clean); boil for 20 minutes
in 15 oz. of water, and strain.