292 
Chestnut  Leaves. 
Am.  J«xir,  Pharm . 
June,  i38o. 
KOUMYS,  OR  MILK  WINE. 
By  G.  L.  Truckenmiller,  Ph.G. 
*        Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  May 
I  noticed  in  the  May  number  of  the  "  American  Journal  or  Phar- 
macy "  that  a  member  present  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  desired) 
a  formula  for  preparing  "  koumys."    There  are  several  manufacturers 
who  prepare  this  food,  each  claiming  superiority  over  the  other. 
The  formula  herewith  presented  has  been  tested  and  found  to  be 
equal  to  any  in  the  market. 
Skimmed  milk,  .  .  .  .  Cong,  i„ 
White  sugar,         .  .  .  .  .  ,  ^iv. 
Yeast,    .  .  .  .  .  .  ,  q.  s. 
Dissolve  the  sugar  in  the  milk  and  bottle  in  quart  champagne  bottles^ 
add  two  ouncee  of  bakers'  yeast  to  each  bottle,  cork  and  tie  over,  set 
in  warm  place  until  fermentation  is  well  under  way,  then  lay  on  side 
in  a  cool  cellar.     It  will  be  ready  for  use  in  from  three  to  four  days. 
A  champagne  tap  is  indispensable  for  drawing  koumys. 
An  interesting  pamphlet  has  been  compiled  by  Messrs.  C.  A.  Bow- 
man &  Co.,  Peoria,  Ills.,  from  which  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  copying 
a  few  extracts  which  may  be  of  interest  to  your  readers  : 
Koumys  is  a  sparkling  beverage,  prepared  from  pure  sweet  oiiik^ 
possessing  greater  nourishing,  strengthening  and  blood  producing  powers 
than  any  other  kind  of  food. 
"  It  is  held  in  high  estimation  by  the  physicians  of  all  schools  as  a  reli- 
able remedy  for  dyspepsia,  imperfect  digestion,  nausea,  general  debility^, 
consumption,  catarrhal  affections,  etc.  Its  constituents  are  those 
which  produce  blood,  bone  and  muscle." 
ON  chest;nut  leaves. 
By  Lewis  Joseph  Steltzer,  Ph.G. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
Chestnut  leaves  should  be  gathered  for  medicinal  use  in  the  months 
of  September  and  October,  while  still  green  ;  they  possess  a  faini 
characteristic  odor.  When  gathered  in  the  early  part  of  October  thev 
lose  in  drying  49  per  cent,  of  their  weight,  retaining  most  of  their 
green  color,  except  the  midrib,  which  changes  to  brown.  They  do 
not  become  brittle,  and  are,  therefore,  with  difficulty  reduced  tc^ 
powder. 
