Am.  Jour.  Pbarm.  \ 
March,  1889.  J 
Tincture  of  Mustard. 
125 
stimulating  properties  of  capsicum,  it  combined  in  one  the  excellen- 
cies of  both,  without  the  local  irritant  feature  so  characteristic  of  cap- 
sicum. It  was  found  to  be  stronger  than  tincture  of  ginger  and  less 
active  than  tincture  of  capsicum;  standing,  apparently,  midway  in 
medicinal  activity  between  the  two. 
Mustard,  as  is  well  known,  depends  for  its  medicinal  activity  upon 
a  fixed,  acrid  oil — acrinyl  sulphocyanide,  and  sulphate  of  sinapine, 
in  the  case  of  the  white  seed,  and  a  volatile  liquid — allyl  sulpho- 
cyanide in  the  case  of  the  black  seed.  None  of  these  principles  pre- 
exist in  the  seeds  as  such,  but  are  the  results  of  decomposition  by  a 
ferment — myrosin — in  the  presence  of  water,  of  certain  proximate 
principles,  sinalbin  in  the  one  instance  and  sinigrin  in  the  other,  very 
much  in  the  same  way  that  amygdalin  and  emulsin  in  bitter 
almonds  are  broken  up  when  brought  in  contact  with  water,  to  form 
hydrocyanic  acid. 
In  the  preparation  of  the  tincture,  the  ground  commercial  black 
mustard  seed  which  has  had  the  larger  portion  of  its  20-25  per  cent, 
fixed  oil  removed  by  pressure,  has  been  used.  The  formula  is  as  fol- 
lows : 
Take  of 
Ground  black  mustard   8  troy-ounces. 
Water   2  fluidounces. 
Alcohol   q.  s.  ad  1  qt. 
Moisten  the  mustard  with  the  water,  added  in  small  quantities  at  a 
time,  in  a  porcelain  evaporating  dish  or  other  non-metallic  receptacle, 
and  admix  thoroughly.  Cover  well  and  leave  stand  for  24  hours. 
Remove  and  pack  in  a  glass  funnel  or  percolator ;  add  1  pint  of  alco- 
hol and  macerate  for  48  hours.  Then  allow  percolation  to  proceed, 
keep  adding  alcohol  until  the  percolate  measures  1  quart. 
The  finished  liquid  is  a  clear,  transparent,  yellow  fluid,  having  a 
strong  characteristic  odor  and  a  warm  pungent  taste.  Mixed  with 
water  it  becomes  slightly  opalescent  or  milky  from  the  precipitation 
of  a  small  quantity  of  fixed  oil.  Its  dose  is  from  J— J-l  teaspoonful 
well  diluted  with  water. 
Aluminium  acetate,  in  addition  to  its  antiseptic  property,  has  also  re- 
solvent powers,  and  was  used  by  Dr.  Grosch  (Berl  Klin.  Woch.,  1888)  in  the 
abortive  treatment  of  furuncles,  the  irrigation  being  made  with  a  20  per 
cent,  solution. 
