PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES. 
Ill 
to simmer over a slow fire for three hours, then suffered to 
cool, half a pint of yeast added, and after it has stood thirty- 
six hours strained for use. 
If these directions are followed to the letter^ the product 
is exceedingly unsatisfactory, will not keep well, and 
is impregnated with but a small amount of the medicinal 
virtues of the tar. The addition of the tar at the first part 
of the process is the chief objection to this formula, for the fol- 
lowing reason. It is well known that creasote and other em- 
pyreumatic substances will suspend the process of fermenta- 
tion, when added during its progress, and prevent it from 
occurring if added with the ferment. Now there is more 
than enough of this substance in the tar to prevent the 
action of the yeast almost entirely; hence the product when 
finished consists of the soluble matter of bran, honey and 
water, impregnated with so much of the soluble portion of 
tar as will be taken up under the circumstances in which 
it is placed, being in fact but little stronger than tar water. 
The office of the bran is to disintegrate the tar so that the 
water may act on a largely exposed surface. Ground malt 
answers this mechanical purpose equally well, and as it 
is acted on by ferment when placed in water, this is an 
additional reason why it should be preferred to the bran. 
When, therefore, malt is substituted for bran, and the 
mixture of malt, honey, water and yeast, is suffered to react 
for thirty-six hours before adding the tar, so much alcohol 
is generated that it enables the fluid to dissolve a much larger 
proportion of that substance, and to keep perfectly well. 
The following is the proposed formula, viz.: 
Take of Ground Malt, Honey and Tar, of each one pound. 
Yeast, of each, half a pint. 
Water, a sufficient quantity. 
Mix the malt, honey and three quarts of the water in an 
earthen vessel, keep them at the temperature of 150° F., 
(about,) with occasional stirring for three hours, then suffer 
the whole to cool to about 80° F. and add the yeast. Fer- 
