| Tonic and Alterative Mixture. | |||
| Take of— | |||
| Oxymuriate of mercury | 2 | grains. | |
| Muriatic acid | 60 | drops. | |
| Tincture of bark | 2 | oz. | |
| Mix.—A teaspoonful to be taken twice or three times a day in a little water. | |||
| These drops are highly serviceable to persons of weak constitutions, whom it is desirable to place under the influence of mercury. They form the basis of most of the advertised anti-scorbutic drops of the patent medicine venders. | |||
| Compound decoction of Sarsaparilla. | |||
| Take of— | |||
| Sarsaparilla root, sliced | 4 | ounces. | |
| Boiling water | 4 | pints. | |
| Macerate for four hours in a vessel lightly covered, and placed near the fire; then take out the sarsaparilla and bruise it; return it again to the liquor, and macerate in a similar manner for two hours; boil it down to two pints, strain it, and then add— | |||
| Sassafras root, sliced | ¼ | ounce. | |
| Guaiacum root, rasped | ¼ | do. | |
| Liquorice root, bruised | ¼ | do. | |
| Bark of mezeroon root | 1½ | drachm. | |
| Boil the whole together for a quarter of an hour, and strain. | |||
| Dose, from a quarter to half a pint, three times a day. | |||
| To avoid the tediousness of daily preparing the above, many manufacturing chemists evaporate a large quantity, and preserve the extract, which retains all the virtues of the decoction, and is at all times ready for immediate use. Or, | |||
| Take of— | |||
| Bruised root of Jamaica sarsaparilla | 4 | ounces. | |
| Liquorice root, sliced | ½ | ounce. | |
| Lime-water | 1 | quart. | |
| Macerate for 24 hours in a dark and cool place—strain and bottle it, and take a pint daily in divided doses. This is a very superior form of administering sarsaparilla. Or, | |||
| Take of— | |||
| Oxymuriate of mercury | 2 | grains. | |
| Muriatic acid | 5 | drops. | |
| Compound extract of sarsaparilla | 2 | oz. | |
| Dissolve the same in one quart of water, and take a wineglassful twice a day. | |||
| The Iodide of Potass Mixture. | |||
| Take of— | |||
| Iodide of potassium | 1 | drachm. | |
| Iodine | 2 | grains. | |
| Mucilage of acacia | 3 | ounces. | |
| Hydrocyanic acid | 12 | drops. | |
| Pure water | 5 | ounces. | |
| White sugar | ½ | ounce. | |
| Mix. Take a dessert- or tablespoonful twice or thrice daily in a wineglassful of water. | |||
| Take of— | |||
| Iodide of potassium | 1 | drachm. | |
| Acetate of morphine | 10 | grains. | |
| Spermaceti ointment | 1 | oz. | |
| Mix. Rub a portion, the size of a nut, over the affected part night and morning. If much irritation be produced, it must be disused for a time. | |||
| Forms [54], [55], [56], [57] see pages [126]–[128]. |
| Take of— | |||
| Sarsaparilla sliced | 1 | oz. | |
| China root | 1 | oz. | |
| Dry rind of 20 walnuts. | |||
| Antimony | 2 | oz. | |
| Pumice stone | 1 | oz. | |
| (Tied in separate bags, and boiled with the other ingredients.) | |||
| Distilled water | 10 | pints. | |
| Boil to one half, and strain. | |||
| Dose—An aleglassful twice or thrice daily. | |||
| Forms [59], [60], [61], [62] see page [132]. |
| The best aperient for females is certainly a combination of castor oil. The following form is a very good one:— |