400 
NOTE  ON  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  WILD  CHERRY  BARK. 
formula,  with  the  quantities  altered  for  a  gallon  of  the  fluid  ex- 
tract. 
Take  of  Wild  Cherry  Bark  (Cerasus  serotina)  64  ounces  Troy. 
Sweet  almonds,  8     "  " 
Granulated  Sugar,  (pure),  96     "  « 
Alcohol  (U.  S.  P.,) 
Water,  each  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Macerate  the  bark  (powdered  and  passed  through  a  No.  60 
seive)  moistened  with  two  pints  of  alcohol,  for  two  hours,  pack 
it  firmly  in  a  cylindrical  percolater,  and  gradually  pour  on  alco- 
hol until  twelve  pints  have  slowly  passed.  If  the  powder  has 
not  been  carefully  prepared  as  directed,  the  passage  of  the 
liquid  must  be  regulated  by  a  cork  or  stop  cock.  The  tincture  is 
then  poured  in  a  still,  and  ten  pints  of  alcohol  drawn  over  by  dis- 
tillation, the  residue  is  evaporated  to  a  syrupy  consistence,  and, 
while  hot,  mixed  with  two  pints  of  cold  water.  Separate  the  resin- 
ous and  oily  matter  which  precipitates,  and  evaporate  the  liquid 
again  till  all  traces  of  alcohol  are  removed.  The  almonds,  with- 
out blanching,  are  now  to  be  thoroughly  beaten,  with  a  little 
water,  until  reduced  to  a  smooth  paste.  (This  part  of  the  ope- 
ration is  most  effectually  performed  in  an  iron  mortar  with  a  flat- 
faced  pestle.)  They  are  then  rubbed  down  with  sufficient  water 
to  make  the  emulsion  measure  four  pints,  without  straining  it. 
This  is  then  incorporated  with  the  syrupy  extract  of  the  bark 
in  a  bottle,  securely  closed,  and  agitated  from  time  to  time 
for  twenty-four  hours,  at  least,  and  unless  the  weather  is  very 
warm  forty-eight  hours  will  be  better,  as  on  prolonged  contact 
of  the  almonds  with  the  amygdalin  of  the  bark,  depends  the  de- 
velopment of  the  hydrocyanic  acid  and  volatile  oil.  The  liquor 
is  now  thrown  on  a  cloth,  rapidly  and  forcibly  expressed,  to  re- 
move the  solid  residue,  which  is  reserved,  and  the  liquor  filtered 
through  paper  into  a  gallon  bottle  containing  sugar.  If  the 
liquid,  thus  obtained,  is  not  sufficient  to  dissolve  the  sugar  by 
agitation  and  make  the  measure  of  a  gallon,  pour  water  on  the 
dregs  in  the  cloth,  express  and  filter  until  sufficient  liquid  is  ob- 
tained to  make  that  measure,  and  strain.  The  most  annoying 
part  of  this  process  is  frequently  experienced  in  the  extreme 
slowness  with  which  the  liquid  passes  the  filter  (owing  to  the 
fixed  oil  and  fine  particles  of  the  almond  paste,)  and  the  conse- 
