58 



INFUSA. 



DECOCTA. 



INFUSA. 



Infusions are aqueous extracts of the water-soluble constituents of vegetable sub- 

 stances. They are usually made by treating the substance with boiling hot water ; but 

 if heat injures the vegetable principles, cold water may be substituted. 



The weight of the drug used is 0.5 % of the weight of the finished product. 



Infusions should be freshly made, and discreetly used. 



Prepare the official Infusum Digitalis as follows : Pour 50 mils boiling water on 

 1.5 Gm. bruised digitalis leaves. Allow it to macerate one hour. Then strain, add 

 15 mils cinnamon water, and pass enough distilled water through the residue on the 

 strainer to make the product equal 100 mils. Mix well, place in a small bottle, and 

 examine every week for one month. 



Properties of \oitr preparation, and the other official Infusion. 



DECOCTA. 



Decoctions are aqueous extracts of the water-soluble constituents of vegetable 

 substances, extracted by boiling for 15 minutes. The standard formula for Decoctions 

 makes the original weight of the drug represent 0.5% of the finished product; but with 

 energetic substances this would be too strong. 



Decoctions should be freshly made, and discreetly used. 



There are no official Decoctions. 



Make a Decoction of coffee after the standard formula: Into a suitable covered 

 vessel place 5 Gm. ground coffee ; over it pour 100 mils cold water, cover it well, and 

 boil for 15 minutes. Cool to 40 C, strain through thick cheese-cloth, expressing as 

 much as possible; then pass enough cold water through the strainer to bring the 

 product up to 100 mils. 



Properties: 



Heat your Decoction as hot as can be comfortably drunk. Void your urine. 

 Drink the hot Decoction of coffee. Take hourly record of your kidney activity for the 

 next five hours. Compare the resulting graph with a similar record taken some other 

 day when no coffee is consumed. 



