Drops, Antispasmod′ic. Syn. Guttæ antispasmodicæ, L. Prep. Tinctures of castor, valerian, and assafœtida, of each, 2 dr.; tincture of capsicum and balsam of Peru, of each, 1 dr.; camphor, 20 gr.; acetate of morphia, 3 gr.—Dose, 10 to 20 drops, as required.
Drops, Bateman’s. See Drops, Pectoral.
Drops, Battley’s. See Liquor Opii Sedativus.
Drops, Bitter. Syn. Guttæ amaræ, L.; Gouttes amères, Fr. Prep. From nux vomica (rasped), 1 lb.; liquor of potassa, 1⁄2 fl. oz.; bistre, 1 dr.; compound spirit of wormwood, 32 fl. oz.; digest 10 days, express the tincture, and filter. A most unscientific preparation; said to be tonic and stomachic.—Dose, 1 to 8 drops in water or any bitter infusion. In large doses it is poisonous.
Drop, Black. Syn. Armstrong’s black drop, Lancaster’s b. d., Quaker’s b. d., Toustall’s b. d., Braithwaite’s genuine b. d.; Gutta nigra, L. This celebrated preparation was originally prepared nearly a century and a half ago by Edward Toustall, a medical practitioner in the county of Durham, and one of the Society of Friends. The formula passing into the possession of a relative of his (John Walton, of Shildon), was found among his brother’s papers, and, by the permission of Thomas Richardson, of Bishop’s Wearmouth, one of his executors, was handed to Dr Armstrong, who subsequently published it in his work on typhus fever.
Prep. 1. (Original formula.) Opium (sliced), 1⁄2 lb.; good verjuice, 3 pints; nutmegs, 11⁄2 oz.; saffron, 1⁄2 oz.; boil them to a proper thickness; then add, of sugar, 1⁄4 lb., and yeast, 2 teaspoonfuls. Set the whole in a warm place, near the fire, for 6 or 8 weeks, then place it in the open air until it becomes of the consistence of a syrup; lastly, decant, filter, and bottle it up, adding a little sugar to each bottle. To yield two pints of strained liquor.
2. (Acetum Opii, L.—U. S.) Opium, 8 oz.; nutmeg, 11⁄2 oz. (both in coarse powder); saffron, 1⁄2 oz.; distilled vinegar, 24 fl. oz.; digest on a sand bath with a gentle heat for 48 hours, and strain; digest the residuum with an equal quantity of distilled vinegar for 24 hours; then put the whole into a percolator, and return the filtered liquid as it passes until it runs clear; afterwards pour on the material, fresh distilled vinegar until 48 fl. oz. of filtered liquor shall be obtained; in this dissolve sugar, 12 oz., and gently evaporate the whole to 52 fl. oz.
3. (Wholesale.) Opium, 10 oz., and distilled vinegar, 1 quart, are digested together for about a fortnight, and after sufficient repose the clear portion is decanted. This is the form commonly adopted by the wholesale trade in England.—Dose, 5 to 10 drops. It is usually considered to be of fully 4 times the strength of laudanum.
Drops, Carmin′ative. Syn. Guttæ carminativæ, L. Prep. (Radius.) Oil of mace, 1 dr.; nitric ether, 3 dr.—Dose, 6 to 10 drops on sugar; in flatulent colic, &c.
Drops, Cham′omile. See Essence.