172 ANIMAL PARASITES. 



bark with that of Buvus sempervirens, Berberis vulgaris, and 

 Capparis spinosa, and its impurity from an abundance of alburnum, 

 the only things that concern the practical man are the following : 



1. The fresh bark — of which, however, more is used (^iij = ^ij 

 of dried bark) — acts more gently than the dried bark (Breton). 



2. The bark of the root is more active than that of the trunk ; 

 ^iv of the latter = 5'ij of the root. The bark of the branches 

 has no action (Schmidtmuller). 



3. After maceration for at least 12 — 24 hours, the bark is 

 well boiled, and, according to Cenedella, it is better made in 

 earthen than in metallic vessels ; it is filtered whilst hot, as on 

 cooling active substances appear to be thrown down again. The 

 decoction was formerly most generally used, but I prefer the 

 extract. The best method of preparing this is as follows : R Cort. 

 leviter contusi Bad. Punic. Granat., 3* v > maceretur per horas 

 xxiv, cum Aq. Distill., lb.j, posthsec coque in leni calore per 

 horas xij, ad remanentiam 5 v j> C01 - D. S., to be taken in 

 3 — 4 doses at intervals of from half an hour to one hour. 



4. According to both Schmidtmuller and Gomez the East 

 Indian bark — and which, according to Dr. Wiggers, is thicker — is 

 to be preferred to the European. 



5. Schmidtmuller always gave the fresli bark, or advised the 

 use of the extract prepared in the East Indies from the fresh 

 bark by Waitz. According to German medical men also, the 

 fresh bark, even that cultivated in Germany in gardens and 

 greenhouses, is more efficacious than the dried bark, and Waitz's 

 extract is very active. The dose of the latter is ^j — j'J- 



6. The fresh extract which is sent to us from the East Indies 

 acts in the same way as an extract prepared from the dried bark 

 in the steam-apparatus. I prescribe as much of it as is obtained 

 from ^iv — vj of the dried bark. 



7. The most efficacious form under all circumstances is the 

 solution of the extract in a certain quantity of water. The 

 method of administering the bark in powder (gr. xij — 3j for 

 children, 3ij for adults, every half hour or hour, until six 

 powders are used) is certainly the least advisable of all. The 

 extract itself, made into an electuary with honey, or administered 

 in pills, is to be recommended when there is great tendency to 

 vomit, but on the whole its aqueous solution is the best. 



8. An alcoholic extract is also recommended by Deslandes, 

 and recently by Martius, and an etherial extract has been pre- 



