Am.  Jour,  Pharm.  \ 
July,  1875.  ; 
Elixir  of  Hops. 
297 
R.    Pulv.  Hops,  No.  20,  ....  511,  troy 
"    Cloves,  No.  60         ....  . 
*'     Canella,     "...  .  .  aa. 
"     Cinnamon,  No,  60,  .  .  .  .  grs.  Ixxx 
Oil  of  Orange  (fresh),    ,  .  .  .  .  f^iiss 
Sugar,  ......  troy 
Alcohol,  ...... 
Water,         ......        aa.    q.  s. 
Mix  the  powders.  Then  to  twenty  fluidounces  of  a  mixture,  consist- 
ing of  ten  parts  of  alcohol  and  twelve  parts  of  water,  add  the  oil  of 
orange,  shake  well  and  moisten  the  powders  with  two  fluidounces  and  a 
half,  or  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  mixture.  Set  it  aside  in  a  closed 
vessel  to  macerate  for  twenty-four  hours ;  then  pack  it  firmly  in  a 
cylindrical  glass  percolator,  and  pour  upon  it,  first  the  remainder  of  the 
menstruum,  and,  when  this  has  all  been  absorbed,  continue  the  perco- 
lation with  a  menstruum  consisting  of  ten  parts  of  alcohol  and  twelve 
parts  of  water,  until  twenty-four  fluidounces  of  percolate  have  been 
obtained.  To  this,  in  a  bottle,  add  the  sugar  and  shake  the  mixture 
occasionally  until  the  sugar  is  dissolved,  then  filter  through  paper. 
In  the  elixir,  as  thus  prepared,  the  aroma  and  peculiar  bitter  taste  of 
the  hops  are  very  strongly  marked  ;  but  the  latter  so  nicely  blended  with 
the  flavoring  ingredients  as  to  be  quite  agreeable  to  the  palate. 
Each  fluidounce  contains  the  active  properties  of  thirty  grains  of 
hops,  which  is  very  nearly  half  the  strength  of  the  officinal  tincture. 
The  usual  dose  for  an  adult  would  be  from  a  dessertspoonful  to  a 
tablespoonful  every  two  or  three  hours,  or  as  necessary. 
It  is,  I  presume,  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  say  that  it  is  absolutely 
essential  that  the  oil  of  orange  used  in  making  this  elixir  should  be  of 
the  very  best  quality  and  fresh.  There  is  hardly  an  essential  oil  more 
unstable  than  the  oil  of  orange.  To  keep  it  sweet  for  any  length  of 
time  is  almost  an  impossibility,  unless  mixed  with  aportion  of  alcohol. 
I  am  always  very  careful  to  select  a  first-rate  oil,  and  mix  it  at  once 
with  an  equal  bulk  of  stronger  alcohol  (as  this  is  a  convenient  proportion 
for  use)  and  set  it  aside  in  a  dark,  cool  place,  and,  in  this  way,  I  have 
no  difficulty  in  keeping  it  a  long  time  unchanged. 
When  measured  for  use,  it  should  be  vigorously  shaken  and  poured 
out  very  quickly  to  insure  exact  proportions. 
In  making  this  elixir  I  have  tried  various  strengths  of  alcohol,  but 
have  found  the  one  adopted  to  be  the  most  satisfactory.  It  is  of  suffi- 
cient strength  to  exhaust    he  hops  of  their  activity,  being  nearly  as 
