Ant.  Jo  dr.  Phabm.  ") 
Feb.  1,1873.  J 
A  Defence  of  Elixirs,  etc. 
55 
'Co.'s  fluid  extract  of  taraxacum ;  out  of  all  these  ingredients  not 
only  a  clear  solution  may  be  made,  but  also  a  palatable  one,  of  which 
a  tablespoonful  is  the  ordinary  dose.  Now,  take  this  as  a  tonic  or 
antiperiodic,  is  it  not  better  than  a  dose  of  quinia  or  a  dose  of  tarax- 
acum ?  and,  again,  is  it  not  better  for  the  patient,  especially  if  a  weak? 
delicate  woman,  or  a  child  (and  for  these  this  class  of  goods  are  in- 
tended  more  especially),  than  to  sicken  her  with  the  nasty  crudities  ? 
The  patient  has  the  quinia  in  his  or  her  system,  also  the  taraxacum, 
together  with  the  brandy  and  aromatics,  and  this  in  one  tablespoonful. 
I  only  give  this  as  one  sample.  The  patient  is  able  to  go  about  with 
no  more  nausea  after  taking  the  dose  than  before,  and  obtains  besides 
the  beneficial  effect. 
Copaiba  can  be  made  into  an  elixir,  and  deprived  in  a  great  degree 
of  its  nauseating  qualities  ;  and  I  shall  take  great  pleasure  in  sending 
you  a  sample  and  formula  as  soon  as  I  attain  an  entirely  satisfactory 
result. 
But,  Mr.  Editor,  in  conclusion  I  would  like  to  ask  you  one  thing, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  that  I  am  only  one  of  many  who  would  like  to 
have  you  give  your  opinion  in  a  full  argument  on  this  subject,  and 
that  is,  By  what  rule  or  right,  either  moral  or  commercial,  have  either 
the  profession  or  the  trade  to  demand  that  these  formulas  be  made 
public  ?  Is  it  because  it  will  help  the  cause  of  healing  the  sick  ?  or 
is  it  because  the  intelligence  of  the  whole  world  is  against  anything 
enveloped  in  secrecy  ? — that  if  the  owners  were  not  ashamed  of  it 
they  would  make  it  public  ? 
In  answer,  I  would  say  that  if  any  doubt  rests  upon  the  constitu- 
ents of  these  preparations  there  are  the  analytical  chemists  on  hand. 
It  is  not  a  question  of  secrecy  but  a  question  of  veracity  and  commer- 
cial honor  between  the  physician  who  asserts  that  the  elixirs  of  cali- 
saya  are  not  elixirs  of  calisaya  and  the  manufacturers  who  assert  that 
they  are. 
The  reason  why  these  formulas  are  not  made  public,  I  think,  is  this  : 
One  who  takes  a  pride  in  his  profession,  and  who  is  eternally  devising 
some  new  way  of  making  this  or  that,  will  in  course  of  time  stumble 
upon  or  find  out  something  worth  knowing.  Even  if  this  individual 
may  not  have  a  superlative  education,  still  he  may  have  perception 
enough  to  find  what  will  render  quinia  less  bitter,  aloes,  jalap  and 
company  less  nauseating.  He  puts  his  idea  into  practical  operation, 
and  just  as  he  is  making  a  few  dollars  (the  result  of  months  and  per- 
