298 SLOE. 



urinary calculus, of the size of a bean, from a boy five years 

 old, but its anthelmintic and anti-asthmatic powers have not been 

 subsequently confirmed. Externally the infusion of the flowers 

 has been considered a useful application to scabies, and the 

 juice of the fruit is a popular remedy for staying haemorrhage 

 from the nose ; as also a strong decoction of the bark. An 

 infusion made with one ounce of the recent flowers to six 

 ounces of boiling water or whey, sweetened with sugar, is an 

 agreeable laxative dose for an adult. 



SYRUP OF SLOE FLOWERS*. 



Take of fresh sloe-flowers two pounds. 



boiling water four pints. 



Infuse for twelve hours ; the liquor to be poured upon two pounds of fresh 

 flowers ; this to be repeated a third time, and the syrup to be finally made 

 with the strained liquor and four pounds of sugar. 



Laxative. Dose, from one to three drachms for children ; 

 and from six drachms to an ounce for adults. 



When its astringent properties are required, the unripe fruit 

 should be selected, as the sloe, when thoroughly ripe, possesses 

 very little astringency. J. Bauhin states, that unripe sloes 

 dried in an oven, and then fermented with wines or malt li- 

 quors, are sometimes used as a restringent diet-drink in laxity 

 of the bowels or uterus. A conserve of sloes may be made by 

 steeping them in water over the fire till they grow soft, taking 

 care that they do not burst ; then pressing the pulp through a 

 sieve, and adding twice its weight of refined sugar. 



* Dispensatorium Medico-Pharmaceuticum Palatinatus. 



