PROPOSED  ECONOMY  OF  ALCOHOL  IN  PERCOLATION,  ETC.  113 
the  last  two  pints  of  the  percolate  was  reduced  by  evaporation. 
The  results  of  this  experiment  occupy  the  second  division 
of  the  table  given  farther  on,  under  the  head  "  Strictly  Offici- 
nal."    The   third  division   of  the   table   gives   the  results 
of  an  experiment  with  the  officinal  formula,  but  purposely  made 
with  less  care  and  skill,  and  is  intended  to  be  such  a  result  as 
would  be  obtained  by  a  rather  careless,  inexpert,  or  unskilful 
operator,  and  it  is  supposed  that  it  fairly  represents  the  worst 
results  that  could  be  honestly  obtained  from  any  application  of 
the  officinal  process.    The  pint  of  finished  fluid  extract  in  this 
case  contained  1417  grains  of  dry  solid  extract,  or  88*56  grains 
to  the  fluidounce.    Of  this,  945*67  grains,  or  66*74  per  cent, 
was  contained  in  the  reserved  percolate,  and  471*33  grains,  or 
33*26  per  cent,  in  the  final  percolate,  so  that  it  seems  hardly 
possible  to  get  less  than  two-thirds  of  the  total  extract  in  the 
first  twelve  fluidounces  of  the  percolate,  or  more  than  one-third 
in  the  remainder  or  final  percolate,  whilst  the  first  twrelve 
fluidounces  is  easily  obtained  by  the  use  of  fifteen  fluidounces 
of  menstruum,  no  matter  how  carelessly  applied.    One-half  of 
each  of  these  two  portions  were  mixed  together  to  make  the 
officinal  fluid  extract  as  directed,  and  the  other  half  of  each 
kept  separated  for  the  trials  of  efficiency.    It  was  next  sought 
to  determine  the  absolute  and  relative  therapeutic  values  of  the 
products  of  this  formula,  which,  from  its  being  carelessly  or  un- 
skilfully conducted,  would  give  results  well  guarded  against  be- 
ing overstated.    These  trials  of  absolute  purgative  effect  when 
taken,  were  made  upon  the  writer's  own  person  when  in  excel- 
lent health  and  upon  a  well  regulated  regimen,  and  sufficient 
intervals  were  always  allowed  between  the  purgative  doses  to 
enable  the  alimentary  canal  to  resume  its  natural  tone  and  con- 
dition.   The  doses  for  each  trial  were  two.    One  taken  at  6*30 
P.  M.,  half  an  hour  before  the  evening  meal,  and  the  other  at 
10  P.  M.,  or  three  and  a  half  hours  after  the  first,  both  in  a 
measured  quantity  of  water.    When  the  doses  produced  no 
sensible  effect  throughout  the  night  and  day  following,  forty- 
eight  hours  was  considered  to  be  a  sufficient  additional  interval 
before  repeating  the  trial.    But  when  a  decided  effect  was  ob- 
tained, a  week  and  often  two  weeks  were  allowed  to  elapse  be- 
8 
