312 Dr. Hancock on Quinine. 



turn of fever after commencing with this, and that he found 

 his appetite wonderfully recovered, and his strength increased 

 by it. 



The quinine employed, in both those cases, was known to 

 be genuine, from the great manufactory at Paris, and was 

 received through one of the most respectable houses in 

 London. 



Besides the absurdities above alluded to, there are various 

 others creeping in, and those, too, sanctioned by authority, or 

 at least by modern writers on medicine and pharmacy. 



A new formula for quinine has lately become fashionable, 

 which serves to exemplify the rage for new remedies, however 

 absurd they may be, if introduced under approved auspices. 

 It consists of 4 or 6 grs. of quinine to an ounce of alcohol, so 

 that to take a dose of quinine, it is necessary to swallow what 

 is equivalent to a wine-glassful of proof spirit. In Rennie's 

 Supplement to the " Pharmacopoeias," (page 451,) 4 grs., which 

 may be esteemed but a common dose, as now employed, are 

 directed to the ounce of alcohol of specific gravity .847, al- 

 though a few drops would answer the purpose of dissolving the 

 quinine. This is probably adopted from the French codex, 

 and certainly the march of intellect is rendered evident, by its 

 having found its way so early into our dispensatories. It will 

 be a great comfort and convenience to be able to get a good 

 strong dram under the delicate name of Tincture of Quinine. 

 We shall see if the college of physicians will adopt this valu- 

 able recipe in the next edition of their " Pharmacopoeia." 



Another of these prescriptions is, to dissolve 12 grs. of quinia 

 in two pints of madeira or sherry. This, I suppose, may be 

 that which is puffed off, under the name of the Tonic French 

 Wine (see Rennie, p. 419) for training ! 



These new remedies having been got up, without the impu- 

 tation of empiricism, and ostensibly as the pure results of 

 pharmaceutic or chemical research, is the reason they have 

 been so favourably regarded by the members of the medical 

 faculty, who, indeed, have received them as a boon almost 

 without examination. Some few of the profession, however, 

 we find have paused, or have dared to make a stand, and 

 allow the tide of popular clamour on the infallibility of quinine 



