INFUSUM  JUNIPERI  COMPOSITUM. 
205 
such  perfect  regularity,  that  the  integrity  of  the  circumference 
is  completely  preserved.  By  this  time  the  whole  surface  of  the 
glass  is  covered  with  these  perfect  and  beautiful  discs,  gradually 
coalescing  and  forming  one  mass.  These  crystals,  however,  can 
be  preserved  only  for  a  few  moments,  perhaps  half  a  minute,  as 
they  speedily  deliquesce  and  disappear.  In  one  instance  the 
vessel  containing  the  solution  was  allowed  to  remain  over  the 
fire,  which  was  nearly  extinguished,  over  night,  giving,  of  course, 
a  good  opportunity  for  the  whole  to  cool  very  gradually.  Upon 
examination  next  morning,  it  was  found  to  be  one  mass  of  crys- 
tals, which  upon  application  of  heat  were  readily  dissolved,  and 
the  operation  completed  as  before  described. 
Philadelphia,  4th  mo.  6th,  1853. 
INFUSUM  JUNIPERI  COMPOSITUM. 
By  the  Editor. 
Having  had  occasion  to  prepare  a  variety  of  diuretics,  for  a 
member  of  my  family  affected  with  valvular  disease,  attended  by 
dropsical  effusion  into  the  pleura  and  pericardium,  none  of  them 
proved  so  successful  as  the  infusion  of  Juniper  berries  with  cream 
of  tartar.  The  necessity  of  making  the  infusion  every  day,  led  to 
the  adoption  of  the  following  formula,  which  was  afterwards  used 
with  much  satisfaction. 
Take  of  Juniper  berries,  thoroughly  bruised,  four  ounces. 
Holland  gin,        -  four  fluid  ounces. 
Boiling  water,     -  twelve  fluid  ounces. 
Pour  the  boiling  water  over  the  bruised  juniper,  add  the  gin, 
mix  them  and  let  them  macerate  for  twelve  hours.  The  whole 
should  then  be  thrown  on  a  cotton  cloth  and  expressed,  and  suf- 
ficient water  added  to  the  dregs  and  pressed  out  to  make  the  infusion 
measure  a  pint. 
The  preparation  thus  made  has  an  opaque  brown  color,  and  a 
decided  odor  and  taste  of  the  berries.  When  desirable,  it  may 
be  made  more  active  by  rubbing  one  drachm  of  the  oil  of  juniper 
with  the  bruised  berries,  then  pouring  the  gin  upon  them,  and  after 
macerating  an  hour,  adding  the  boiling  water,  and  continuing  the 
maceration  for  eight  or  ten  hours  longer.    The  liquid  is  then  sepa- 
