892  ON  OINTMENT  AND  EXTRACT  OF  STRAMONIUM. 
method  by  infusion,  to  that  of  a  mechanical  mixture  of  the 
extract  with  lard,  so  that  the  resulting  preparation  varies  in 
color  and  consistence  with  the  form  of  extract  used.  When  the 
extract  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  is  employed,  the  color  is  brown ; 
when  the  extracts  containing  chlorophylle  and  albumen  are  used, 
the  color  has  various  shades  of  a  dull  green.  As  some  may  con- 
tinue to  prepare  it  in  the  old  way,  I  will  give  the  following  method, 
which  I  have  adopted  for  some  years,  and  which  affords  an  ex- 
cellent result. 
Take  of  Fresh  Stramonium  leaves,  a  pound. 
Lard,  three  pounds. 
Yellow  wax,  half  a  pound. 
Put  three  ounces  of  the  stramonium  leaves  bruised  with  half 
a  pint  of  alcohol  of  88  per  cent.,  mix  them  with  the  hand,  and 
when  the  coloring  matter  has  been  dissolved  express  the  tincture, 
add  the  dregs  and  the  remainingleaves  bruised  to  the  lard,  and  heat 
them  until  they  become  crisp,  avoiding  too  high  a  temperature. 
The  exhausted  leaves  are  then  separated  by  a  cloth  and  strongly 
expressed ;  the  wax  is  then  incorporated  by  heat,  and  the  tincture 
added,  continuing  the  heat  until  the  alcohol  is  driven  off  and  the 
chlorophylle,  &c  remains  dissolved  in  the  fatty  matter,  to  which 
it  gives  a  fine  green  color.  Made  in  this  way  the  ointment  is 
not  prone  to  rancidity,  and  may  be  kept  for  two  years  perfectly 
sweet  and  green. 
In  preparing  the  extract  I  pursue  an  analogous  plan.  A 
portion  (one  fourth)  of  the  bruised  leaves  is  mixed  with  strong 
alcohol,  and  after  standing  several  days  is  expressed.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  leaves  mixed  with  sufficient  diluted  alcohol  (1  to 
4  of  water)  to  cover  them  are  allowed  to  stand  several  days  and 
expressed.  The  alcoholic  juice  is  now  evaporated  by  a  water 
bath,  and  when  nearly  of  the  proper  consistence  the  first  made 
green  tincture  is  added  and  evaporated.  The  extract  now  has 
a  fine  green  color,  and  when  used  for  making  the  ointment  by 
the  present  officinal  process  it  affords  a  preparation  of  a  bright 
green  color,  especially  if  a  little  alcohol  is  mixed  with  the  extract 
before  adding  the  lard. 
In  preparing  the  extracts  of  aconite,  belladonna  and  hyoscya- 
mus,  I  pursue  the  same  plan,  using  the  finest  imported  dried 
leaves  and  a  larger  quantity  of  diluted  alcohol.    These  extracts 
