ON  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  ARNICA. 
293 
gallic  acid,  resin,  a  little  volatile  oil  and  a  brown  acid  extractive 
matter,  to  which  they  applied  the  name  of  arnicine,  and  which 
probably  contains  the  arnieina  of  Mr.  Bastick.  From  this 
statement  it  would  appear  that  alcohol  is  the  best  menstruum  for 
extracting  the  flowers,  inasmuch  as  it  will  dissolve  the  gallic  acid, 
resin,  volatile  oil,  and  the  so-called  arnicine.  In  accordance  with 
these  suggestions  I  took  of 
Alcohol  a  sufficient  quantity, 
Arnica  flowers  ,?xvj* 
Alcohol,  95  per  cent.  Oiss. 
and  exhausted  the  flowers,  which  had  been  previously  passed 
through  the  mill,  by  the  alcohol,  and  evaporated  the  liquid  to 
eight  fluid  ounces  which  were  mixed  with  the  95  per  cent,  alcohol, 
well  shaken,  and  after  several  hours  filtered.  The  preparation 
seemed  to  possess  in  a  high  degree  the  medicinal  virtues  of  the 
flowers,  which  in  the  form  of  a  tincture  have  made  them  a  popular 
remedy  for  external  application. 
The  tincture  is  prepared  with  diluted  alcohol,  which  accord- 
ingly would  seem  a  good  menstruum  for  exhaustion.  I  have 
therefore  recently  altered  the  above  process  somewhat  by  sub- 
stituting diluted  alcohol  for  alcohol,  evaporating  the  resulting 
tincture  by  means  of  a  water  bath  to  the  consistency  of  an  ex- 
tract, and  redissolving  it  by  two  pints  of  ordinary  alcohol ;  or  the 
evaporation  might  be  stopped  when  the  liquid  measures  four  fluid 
ounces,  which  would  have  to  be  mixed  with  28  oz.  of  95  per  cento 
alcohol,  thus  bringing  the^alcohol  down  to  about  85  per  cent.,  the 
officinal  strength. 
Prepared  in  either  way,  this  fluid  extract  is  of  a  dark  brownish 
color,  possessing  in  some  degree  the  peculiar  odor  of  the  flowers  ; 
its  strength  compares  with  that  of  the  fluid  extract  of  valerian, 
containing  the  virtues  of  one  ounce  (Troy)  in  2  fl.  oz. ;  of  this 
strength  it  might  perhaps  be  found  useful  as  an  addition  to  rube- 
facient liniments  and  for  the  bites  of  insects.  I  have  tried  it  often 
with  musquito  bites  ;  they  are  little  troublesome  after  the  ap- 
plication of  but  a  few  drops,  and  the  inflammation  which  usually 
follows,  is  in  most  cases  easily  arrested  if  the  application  be  not 
deferred  too  long. 
Philadelphia,  May,  1857. 
