Botanic Remedies 



MALTUM 



MALT, from the partially germinated barley 

 Hordeum distichon. EXTRACT OF MALT has 

 the consistency of honey and possesses amylolytic 

 properties. The dose is one tablespoonful. It is 

 a most reliable vehicle for many acrid, resinous, 

 oily, or disagreeable drugs. Malt extract is nutri- 

 tive, tonic, and laxative. LIQUID MALT EXTRACT 

 is a fermented malt extract containing a minimum 

 of alcohol. It is combined with hops, like in beer, 

 and serves as a good bitter and reconstructive tonic 

 possessed of slight soporific properties. DIASTASE 

 is the active ferment in malt, TAKA-DIASTASE being 

 the prominent commercial form used in medicine. 

 It is a starch-digesting enzyme derived from Euro- 

 tium oryzae, a mold. This is grown upon hydrolized 

 wheat bran, developing a diastase three times as 

 active as malt diastase. It acts as a starch-digestant 

 and is given in doses of 1 to 5 grains. It is used in 

 amylaceous dyspepsia. 



There are other digestants of vegetable origin. 

 BROMELIN is an active ferment derived from Ana- 

 nassa saliva, the PINEAPPLE. It has a tryptic action 

 and, especially in neutral solutions, digests vegetable 

 and animal proteids. It is destroyed by heat. It 

 is not very available as a drug, but fresh pineapple 

 juice has considerable digestive power. Do not 

 confuse bromelin with bromalin; the latter is a 

 substitute for the bromides. 



PAPAIN, or PAPAYOTIN, also known as CAROID, 

 is the concentrated active principle of the juice of 

 Carica papaya, a tropical melon known as the 

 PAPAW. It is given in 2- to 5-grain doses with 

 sodium bicarbonate. It aids in dissolving mucus 



