14 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
pint, boil gently for ten minutes and strain. To the strained 
fluid add half an ounce of sugar and half a pound of prunes, 
and simmer till the fruit has absorbed the liquid. 
Artificial Musk. This article, which is seldom to be 
found properly prepared, and from too generally disappoint- 
ing the practitioner, is but little employed; — when good 
forms a most admirable substitute for the genuine musk, and 
in fact, it is far superior to the adulterated article so com- 
monly sold as the real Chinese. Dr. S. W. Williams, who 
communicated a highly interesting paper on the subject to the 
Boston Med. and Surg. Journal, speaks of it in the most ex- 
alted terms in the treatment of whooping cough, typhoid 
states of fever, and all the nervous affections. He also states 
that combined with aqua ammonia, compound spirits of laven- 
der or laudanum, according to circumstances, he has found no 
remedy so efficient in those attacks of sinking faintness so 
often present in the last stages of pulmonary consumption, es- 
pecially when there is distressing dyspnoea and violent palpi- 
tation of the heart. 
Dr. Williams says that the preparation he employs, is 
made according to the following formula. Three drachms 
and a half of concentrated nitric acid are to be very gradually 
dropped on one drachm of rectified oil of amber contained in 
a glass tumbler, or very large wine glass. This mixture, when 
agitated, grows hot, and emits offensive fumes, which the ope- 
rator must avoid inhaling. He also adds, that as the acid ge- 
nerally to be met with is not of sufficient strength to produce 
the proper reaction without the assistance of heat, he usually 
after mixing the ingredients, places the vessel containing them 
on an earthen plate, before the fire, until it becomes hot, con- 
tinually stirring with a glass rod; the reaction is sometimes so 
rapid and violent as to eject parts of the contents from the 
glass; hence the use of the plate beneath. 
After the mixture has remained at rest for twenty-four 
hours, it acquires a resinous appearance, and divides into two 
portions, the lower of which is an acid fluid, and the upper a 
