174 
GEOFFBOYA INEllMIS, 
warm water ; the patient must speedily be purged with castor oil, 
and use plenty of lime-juice beverage for common drink ; vegetable 
acid being a powerful antidote in this case, as well as in an over 
dose of opium. Care must be taken that cold water be not drank 
during the operation of this medicine, as it is apt to occasion the 
same untoward eflFects as an over dose. This bark (in powder) acts 
briskly cathartic in doses of thirty or forty grains ; but its anthel- 
mintic eflFects are more powerful when given in the form of 
decoction, of which an adult may at first take four table spoonfuls, 
and gradually increase the dose if sickness be not excited : in this 
way it seldom fails in destroying worms, and bringing them away in 
great quantities. " It must not be concealed that fatal accidents 
have happened from the imprudent administration of this bark, 
chiefly from overdosing the medicine. But this cannot detract from 
the merit of the cabbage-bark, since the best medicines, when 
abused, become deleterious." Upon the whole, we consider the 
bark as a valuable anthelmintic, although in this country it is not 
held in general estimation. This bark may be taken in the form of 
powder, decoction, extract, or syrup. The decoction is prepared 
by boiling one ounce of (fresh dried or well preserved) bark in a 
quart of water over a slow fire, till the water is of an amber colour, 
then strain off and sweeten with sugar ; this should be used immedi- 
ately, as it does not keep many days. Syrup of cabbage-bark : to 
any quantity of the above decoction, add a double portion of sugar, 
and make a syrup ; this will retain its virtues for many years. The 
extract is prepared by evaporating a strong decoction in balneo 
mariae to the proper consistence. 
The powder may be taken in doses of from thirty to forty grains, 
the syrup from three to four table spoonfuls, and the extract from 
three to four grains. 
Otr. The Bark. 
Off. Pp. Decoctura GeofFroyae Inermis, E. 
/ 
