!4jutrai;m3RM'}      Infusion  of  Wild  Cherry  Bark.  243 
formula,  with  water  alone  as  the  menstruum,  exhibited  in  a  very  short 
time  a  cloudiness,  which  rapidly  increased,  and  the  hydrocyanic  odor 
was  entirely  lost  in  four  or  five  days,  while  the  infusion  became  en- 
tirely spoiled  and  unfit  for  use  in  less  than  a  week. 
These  samples  were  all  kept  in  the  same  situation  in  my  store  room, 
at  a  temperature  ranging  from  60°  to  70°.  These  results  show  that 
there  can  be  no  question  about  the  advantages  in  the  use  of  glycerin 
in  the  preparation  of  this  infusion,  and  also  illustrate  the  advantages 
•of  increasing  the  strength  of  the  infusion,  as  it  seems  to  give  in- 
creased stability  to  the  preparation. 
The  glycerin  not  only  contributes  to  its  preservation,  but  also  forms 
a  better  and  more  potent  menstruum  for  the  solution  of  the  virtues  of 
the  bark,  and  affords  a  much  more  active  and  efficient  preparation. 
The  sweet  taste  of  the  glycerin  also  serves  to  conceal  in  a  measure  the 
bitterness  of  the  infusion,  and  renders  it  more  agreeable  to  the  taste. 
Grlycerin  itself,  possessing  alterative,  nutrient  and  demulcent  properties, 
is  useful  in  almost  all  cases  in  which  the  infusion  of  wild  cherry  bark 
would  be  employed;  while  in  no  case  can  there  be  any  possible  objec- 
tion to  its  use. 
It  is  a  fact  well  known  to  all  observing  pharmacists  that  the  pro- 
portion of  hydrocyanic  acid  in  all  preparations  of  wild  cherry  bark 
gradually  diminishes  with  time,  and  sooner  or  later  entirely  disap- 
pears, especially  if  the  medicine  is  exposed  to  the  light. 
This  fact  alone  gives,  I  think,  additional  importance  to  the  infusion 
as  a  therapeutic  agent,  which,  when  carefully  and  properly  made,  fur- 
nishes a  preparation  embodying  all  the  medicinal  virtues  of  the  bark 
in  a  fresh  or  nascent  state,  and  in  an  eligible  form  for  administration ; 
and,  as  the  proportion  of  the  menstruum  to  the  bark  is  so  large,  it 
will  always,  with  ordinary  care,  insure  its  perfect  exhaustion  of  all 
that  is  medicinally  desirable. 
I  am  surprised  that  physicians  do  not  more  frequently  avail  them- 
selves of  the  use  of  this  preparation ;  I  presume  the  cause  of  its 
being  so  seldom  prescribed  is  owing  to  the  liability  of  the  officinal 
infusion  to  spoil  quickly,  and  the  prevailing  impression  of  its  ineffi- 
cacy.  If,  however,  physicians  can  have  this  preparation  made  so 
that  it  will  keep,  and  retain  its  medicinal  properties  unimpaired  for 
two  or  three  weeks,  and  prepared  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  fully 
represent  the  entire  active  properties  of  the  bark,  I  have  no  doubt 
•that  it  would  become  a  more  popular  remedy. 
