Ah.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
Ja\y  1,  187'i.  J 
Cortex  Amygdali  Persicoe. 
303 
phloridzin,  as  the  author  failed  to  obtain  it  by  the  process  for  this 
principle.  A  tincture  representing  two  troyounces  in  the  pint  was 
prepared  by  percolation,  and  used  by  Dr.  H.  D.  W.  Pawling,  King  of 
Prussia,  Pa.     Concerning  its  medicinal  properties,  the  author  says: 
From  the  large  amount  of  tannic  acid  found  in  the  bark,  I  think  it 
might  class  very  favorably  with  some  of  the  officinal  astringents,  al- 
though Dr.  Pawling  did  not  use  it  as  such,  but  mainly  found  its  vir- 
tues to  reside  in  the  prussic  acid.  I  here  will  add  his  opinion  con- 
cerning its  medical  virtues  : 
I  have  examined  your  preparation,  and  find,  by  the  use  I  have  made  of  it, 
that  it  possesses  antispasmodic,  stimulant  and  sedative  properties. 
The  first  case  in  which  I  used  it  was  that  of  Mrs.  W.,  who  was  supposed  to 
be  laboring1  under  disease  of  the  heart.  She  had  been  treated  by  several  phy- 
sicians, but  without  any  permanent  relief.  On  a  visit  to  some  of  her  friends 
she  was  taken  with  one  of  her  old  attacks.  I  saw  her  almost  immediately,  and 
found  her  cold,  pulse  at  one  hundred  and  ten,  sighing,  and  exhibiting  every 
symptom  of  nervous  prostration.  I  gave  her  a  teaspoonful  of  your  tincture  in 
a  little  sweetened  water,  repeating  the  dose  in  an  hour,  then  again  in  two  hours, 
and  so  on  continuing.  She  was  relieved  after  the  second  dose,  and  after  re- 
peating for  a  few  times  she  became  so  much  improved  that  she  was  able  to 
return  home  the  next  morning.  Since  then  I  have  frequently  heard  from  her, 
through  her  brother,  who  says  she  now  immediately  receives  relief  from  a  dose 
or  two,  and  J  have  been  supplying  her  ever  since. 
The  next  case  was  a  delicate  girl,  who  had  been  suffering  some  time  from 
chorea,  but  who  had  in  a  measure  recovered  from  the  irregular  muscular  move- 
ments, but  still  remained  distressingly  nervous.  I  gave  her  the  same  dose  as 
in  the  case  of  Mrs.  W . ,  at  more  distant  intervals,  which  appeared  to  benefit 
much,  and  in  conjunction  with  iron  made  a  permanent  cure. 
The  next  case  was  a  gentleman  of  nervous  temperament,  complaining- of 
twitching  and  nervous  spasms.  I  placed  him  under  the  use  of  your  tincture, 
which  he  has  been  using  for  some  length  of  time  and  still  continues  to  use  with 
great  benefit,  and,  as  he  expresses  himself,  will  soon  make  a  cure. 
In  pertussis,  or  whooping  cough,  I  think  it  exhibits  some  virtue.  I  have 
used  it  in  conjunction  with  senega,  and  I  think  with  considerable  relief. 
In  the  bronchial  affections  of  infants  I  have  seen  it  do  considerable  good  in 
conjunction  with  senega  or  ipecac.  In  one  case  particularly,  a  child  of  Mrs. 
L.,  a  poor  puny  child  that  contracted  catarrh  a  few  weeks  after  birth,  I  had 
tried  all  the  usual  remedies  for  this  ailment,  until  the  poor  child  was  reduced 
to  an  extremity.  After  receiving  your  tincture  I  commenced  to  try  it  in  con- 
junction with  squill  and  senega.  After  continuing  the  combination  for  some 
time  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  child  recover. 
I  should  have  liked  much  to  have  further  experimented  with  your  prepara- 
tion, but  running  short  and  no  fresh  supply  on  hand,  I  was  compelled  to  give 
over;  butin  the  cases  of  the  character  I  first  mentioned  I  think  it  will  prove  a 
valuable  adjunct. 
