ON  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  RHUBARB  AND  SENNA. 
23 
ON  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  RHUBARB  AND  SENNA- 
By  William  Procter,  Jr. 
Notwithstanding  that  two  preparations  of  Rhubarb  and  Senna 
are  already  known,  it  is  believed  that  the  new  one,  now  proposed, 
possesses  sufficient  claims  to  gain  for  it  the  favorable  opinion  of 
physicians  and  patients  in  many  cases  where  a  cathartic  is  needed, 
simply  as  such,  or  in  connection  with  other  medicines.  It  is  well 
known,  that  senna  has  little,  if  any,  tonic  influence  on  the  aliment- 
ary surfaces  ;  that  an  overdose  has  a  depleting  effect,  often  incon- 
venient, and  that  griping  is  a  frequent  attendant  on  its  exhibition. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally  understood,  that  rhubarb  is  re- 
markable for  being  a  sort  of  therapeutical  paradox,  in  so  far  as  it 
possesses  both  a  purgative  and  an  astringent  property,  the  latter 
coming  into  play  after  the  former  has  manifested  itself,  and  thus 
repairing,  as  it  were,  its  effects.  ]t  is  also  well  known,  that  this 
astringent  or  tonic  action  is  so  strongly  marked,  that  it  is  neces- 
sary in  most  cases  to  combine  it  with  some  other  cathartic  to  over- 
come or  modify  this  peculiarity  when  a  simple  cathartic  is  needed. 
By  the  union  of  these  two  drugs  in  the  concentrated  form  presented 
by  a  fluid  extract,  and  in  a  due  proportion,  a  resulting  cathartic 
action  is  obtained  which  is  safe,  unattended  by  unpleasant  symp- 
toms, and  not  followed  by  constipation  when  the  dose  has  been 
properly  graduated.  It  has  been  ascertained  that  the  association 
of  alkalies  and  alkaline  salts  with  rhubarb  and  senna,  has  a  ten- 
dency to  prevent  their  unpleasant  griping  effects,  and  in  the  case 
of  senna,  to  increase  its  activity.  The  introduction  of  the  bicarbo- 
nate of  potassa  is  with  this  view,  and  the  aromatics  from  their 
carminative  properties  also  aid.  The  following  is  the  formula  : — 
Take  of  Senna,  in  coarse  powder,  twelve  ounces,  (troy) 
Rhubarb,  in  coarse  powder,  four  ounces, 
Bicarbonate  of  potassa,  half  an  ounce, 
Sugar,  eight  ounces, 
Tincture  of  ginger,  a  fluid  ounce, 
Oil  of  cloves,  eight  minims, 
Oil  of  aniseed,  sixteen  minims, 
Water  and  alcohol,  of  each  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Mix  the  senna  and  rhubarb  (by  grinding  them  together  is  a  con- 
venient way,)  pour  upon  them  two  pints  of  diluted  alcohol 
