108 
ALCOHOLIC  EXTRACT  OF  WILD  CHERRY  BARK. 
recommended  as  the  agent  for  preserving  the  solution  of  the 
active  matter  of  the  bark,  because  of  the  small  quantity  requisite 
to  form  a  saturated  solution,  as  well  as  because  it  was  believed  to 
be  less  likely  to  interfere  with  the  functions  of  the  stomach.  But, 
in  carrying  out  the  idea  in  practice,  the  great  bitterness  and 
astringcncy  of  the  fluid  extract  offered  an  objection  to  patients 
who  have  tried  it,  whilst  when  made  with  cane  sugar,  as  suggested 
at  page  23,  it  was  found  unobjectionable.  I  will,  therefore,  adopt 
the  latter  medium  of  preservation,  and  to  make  it  clear  to  the 
reader,  will  repeat  the  formula  thus  modified : — 
Take  of  Wild  Cherry  bark,  (Cerasus  serotina,)    24  oz.,  Troy. 
Sweet  almonds,  3  "  " 
Pure  granulated  sugar,  36  "  " 
Alcohol,  (88  per  cent.) 
Water,  each  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Macerate  the  powdered  bark  in  two  pints  of  alcohol  for  eight 
hours,  introduce  it  into  a  percolator  and  pour  on  alcohol  till  five 
pints  have  passed,  observing  to  regulate  the  passage  of  the  liquid 
by  a  cork  or  stop-cock.  Introduce  the  tincture  into  a  capsule, 
(or  distillatory  apparatus,  if  the  alcohol  is  to  be  regained,)  and 
evaporate  it  to  a  syrupy  consistence  ;  add  half  a  pint  of  water 
and  again  evaporate  till  the  alcohol  is  entirely  removed.  Beat  the 
almonds,  without  blanching,  into  a  smooth  paste  with  a  little  of 
the  water,  and  then  add  sufficient  to  make  the  emulsion  measure 
a  pint  and  a  half,  and  pour  it  in  a  quart  bottle  previously  contain- 
ing the  solution  of  the  extract  of  bark,  cork  it  securely  and 
agitate  occasionally  for  24  hours,  so  as  to  give  time  for  the  de- 
composition of  the  ainygdaline.  The  mixture  is  then  to  be 
quickly  expressed  and  filtered  into  a  bottle  containing  the  sugar, 
marked  to  hold  three  pints.  Water  should  be  added  to  the 
dregs,  and  they  again  expressed  till  sufficient  filtered  liquid  is 
obtained  to  make  the  fluid  extract  measure  three  pints.  The  pro- 
portion of  sugar,  though  less  than  that  in  syrup,  is  sufficient  to 
preserve  the  preparation  aided  by  the  presence  of  the  hydro- 
cyanic acid. 
As  stated  before,  the  dose  is  a  teaspoonful,  which  is  equivalent 
to  a  wineglassful  of  the  officinal  infusion: 
Alcoholic  Extract  of  Wild  Cherry  Barh. 
Wild  cherry  bark  yields  to  alcohol  22  per  cent,  of  dry,  deep 
