ON  SYRUP  OF  ELDERBERRIES. 
245 
sium,  with  marked  benefit.  The  formula  used  by  him  is  the 
following: — 
R.       Juice  of  Elderberries,       .       .  Oxvj. 
Sugar  Crystal,         .       .       .  lbxvj. 
Mix  and  boil  to  a  syrup ;  after  allowing  it  to  cool,  add  to 
every  pint  of  syrup  one  ounce  of  the  best  fourth  proof  French 
brandy,  bottling  and  keeping  in  a  cool  place. 
Dose,  from  a  dessert  to  a  table  spoonful  three  times  a  day. 
Flattering  myself  that  an  improvement  could  be  made  in  the 
preparation  of  the  above  syrup  without  injury,  I  have  prepared 
a  compound  syrup  of  elderberries,  containing  some,  if  not  all  of 
the  most  active  ingredients  of  the  compound  syrup  of  sarsapa- 
rilla,  (Gruaiaci  lignum  and  Sennse  fol. ;)  by  this  means,  as  I 
think,  increasing  the  alterative  virtues  of  the  syrup,  giving  it  a 
more  marked  and  active  character  in  the  treatment  of  gout, 
rheumatism,  &c,  than  it  possessed  without  them.  To  this  syrup 
may  be  added  the  iodide  of  potassium  to  suit  the  views  of  those 
prescribing.    The  formula  is  as  follows : — 
R.    Juice  of  Elderberries,       .       .  Oxvj. 
Sugar  Crystal,         .       .       .  lb.xvj. 
Guaiacum  wood,       .       .       .  ^iv. 
Senna  leaves,  .  .  Siii. 
Put  the  sennse  fol.  and  the  guaiac.  lig.  in  three  pints  of  water, 
boiling  it  down  one-half,  and  strain.  Put  the  juice  and  sugar  in 
a  kettle,  place  it  on  the  fire,  and  when  it  has  come  to  a  boil,  add 
the  decoction  of  guaiac.  lig.  and  sennse  fol.,  allow  it  to  boil  to  a 
syrup,  when  it  must  be  taken  off  strained  and  let  cool.  To  every 
pint  of  syrup  add  one  ounce  of  the  best  fourth  proof  French 
brandy,  bottling  and  keeping  in  a  cool  place. 
Dose,  the  same  as  preceding. 
The  syrup  of  elderberries  is  given  to  the  profession  chiefly 
upon  the  recommendation  of  Dr.  Stratton,  whose  skill  and  expe- 
rience as  a  practitioner  is  entitled  to  the  confidence  of  his  medi- 
cal brethren.  If,  as  he  believes,  it  possesses  more  certain  and 
prompt  remedial  virtues  as  an  alterative  than  sarsaparilla,  it 
ought  to  be  added  to  our  catalogue  of  officinal  articles.  The 
difficulty  of  obtaining  at  all  times  good  sarsaparilla,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  country,  increases  the  claims  of  this  syrup  upon  our 
rural  practitioners,  who  can  command  with  facility,  and  in  great 
abundance,  the  material  for  its  preparation  Medical  Reporter. 
