416  COMPOUND  SYRUP  OF  YELLOW  DOCK  AND  SARSAPARILLA. 
In  view  of  the  above,  and  of  the  fact  that  there  has  been  no 
formula  published,  for  an  eligible  preparation  to  represent  this 
plant,  the  writer  proposes  the  following,  which  is  based  upon  the 
officinal  process  for  making  Compound  Syrup  Sarsaparilla, 
though  differing  from  it  in  some  essential  characteristics : 
Take  of  Yellow  Dock  Root  and  of  Sarsaparilla  (Honduras) 
each  3  lbs,  troy ;  Guaiacum  wood,  rasped,  9  oz.  troy ;  Hundred- 
leaved  Roses,  Senna,  and  Liquorice  Root,  of  each  6  oz.  troy ; 
infusion  of  Prunus  Virginiana,  2  pints;  Oil  of  Sassafras  and  Oil 
of  Anise,  of  each  15  minims  ;  Oil  of  Wintergreen,  10  minims  ; 
Diluted  Alcohol,  a  sufficient  quantity ;  Refined  Sugar,'  24  lbs. 
troy. 
After  having  reduced  the  dry  materials,  except  the  sugar,  to 
a  coarse  powder,  by  grinding,  introduce  them  into  a  close  vessel, 
and  pour  upon  them  one  gallon  of  the  diluted  alcohol ;  let  the 
mixture  stand  twenty-four  hours,  and  then  transfer  it  to  a  dis- 
placement apparatus,  and  pour  upon  it,  gradually,  diluted  alco- 
hol, until  the  filtrate  measures  four  gallons ;  reduce  this  tincture 
by  the  heat  of  a  water  bath  to  ten  pints  ;  filter  ;  add  the  sugar, 
and  dissolve  by  a  gentle  heat ;  then  rub  the  essential  oils  with  a 
little  of  the  syrup,  and  mix  thoroughly  with  the  remainder ; 
finally,  add  the  infusion  of  wild  cherry,  when  the  syrup  is  cooled. 
The  infusion  of  wild  cherry  bark  is  prepared  by  macerating, 
for  twenty-four  hours,  in  a  closed  vessel,  five  ounces,  troy,  of 
Prunus  Virginiana,  in  coarse  powder,  with  four  fluidounces  of 
Jamaica  rum ;  then  transferring  the  mixture  to  a  displacement 
apparatus,  and  pouring  upon  it,  gradually,  water,  until  the  fil- 
trate measures  two  pints. 
To  those  unacquainted  with  the  use  of  the  displacement  appa- 
ratus, the  following  method  is  recommended :  Macerate  the  dry 
materials  in  three  gallons  and  six  pints  of  the  diluted  alcohol, 
for  fourteen  days  ;  then  express,  and  filter  ;  evaporate  the  tinc- 
ture to  three  pints,  and  proceed  to  finish  the  syrup  as  directed 
in  the  other  process. 
The  dose  of  this  syrup,  for  an  adult,  is  from  one  to  two  table- 
spoonfuls,  three  or  four  times  a  clay.  It  forms  a  transparent, 
brownish-colored  syrup,  of  agreeable  flavor ;  each  pint  represents 
four  ounces  of  the  dry  ingredients, — Peninsular  and  Indepen- 
dent Med.  Journ. 
