268  The  Juice  of  the  Garden  Cucumber.  {Am>uXSrm' 
THE  JUICE  OF  THE  GARDEN  CUCUMBER. 
By  William  B.  Thompson. 
Fashion  and  fancy  prescribe  for  Pharmacy  as  well  as  for  other 
requirements  of  civilized  life,  and  it  is,  perhaps,  not  wise  to  be  too 
scrupulous  in  regard  to  the  utility  of  such  prescriptions,  especially 
when  skill  and  art  can  make  them  serve  some  useful  purposes. 
Occasionally,  in  our  domestic  Pharmacy  there  is  an  inquiry  for  an 
ointment  of  cucumber,  and  whilst  the  fruit  is  abundantly  indigenous 
and  quite  familiar  as  an  edible  for  the  table,  we  seem  to  look  to  for- 
eign sources  for  a  supply  of  material  out  of  which  to  fabricate  a  medi- 
cal preparation.  A  Spirit  of  Cucumber  is  imported  and  sometimes  to 
be  found  in  the  stock  of  some  of  the  larger  dispensing  establishments, 
but  when  wanted  it  may  be  accessible  or  not,  just  as  circumstances 
exist.  This  fact  would  indicate  a  want  of  thrift,  and  show  a  rather 
deplorable  dependence  on  the  foresight  of  others,  but  it  may  be 
explained,  perhaps,  on  the  theory  that  the  demand  is  so  seldom  made, 
that  but  little  interest  is  incited,  and  herein  lies  an  observable  fault 
of  the  average  Pharmacist.  An  excuse  for  some  omission  is  the  rule, 
the  absence  of  it  constitutes  the  exception.  In  order,  however,  to 
be  prepared  for  even  a  casual  emergency,  all  Pharmacists  may  with 
but  little  trouble  and  expense,  not  worth  estimating,  make  them- 
selves independent  of  other  sources  of  supply  than  that  of  their  own 
stock  rooms,  by  preparing,  by  mechanical  pressure,  the  juice  of  the 
fruit  when  in  full  season,  and  with  a  suitable  antiseptic  added,  set  it 
aside  for  an  indefinite  preservation.  Then,  if  ingenuity  is  to  be  an 
exercise  of  daily  work  (and  there  is  always  a  fair  reward  for  this 
when  coupled  with  judgment),  the  juice  may  be  fashioned  into 
lotions,  and  lavements,  and  unguents,  to  protect  the  skin  against  the 
fiery  rays  of  Sol  at  mountain  and  seaside  when  the  outing  days  are 
in  vogue  ;  for  the  lady  patrons  are  sensitive  as  to  blemishes  upon  a 
fair  complexion,  and  readily  endorse  toilet  novelties. 
The  French  Pharmacists,  who  seem  to  still  excel  in  the  nicer 
manipulations  of  extemporaneous  pharmacy,  pretend  to  have  found 
much  virtue  in  the  juice  of  the  cucumber  as  a  cooling  balm,  and 
gentle  remedial  in  some  forms  of  dermic  condition. 
Readers,  by  referring  to  the  pages  of  this  Journal,  will  find  in 
volume  xxvi  (September  No.,  1854),  page  426,  an  article  by  Emile 
Mouchon,  of  Lyons,  extracted  from  a  French  periodical,  upon  the 
