BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 95 
No. 7. — Note on Ame.* By Yer Furukawa, M.D. Trans- 
lated from the original Japanese by Shin-ichi Takaki, 
Bachelor of Agricultural Science. 
Ame consists for the most part of maltose and dextrin. It is 
made with koji and rice that is well nigh free from nitrogen, and 
contains no more than traces of albuminoids, fat, and organic 
matters. 
There are two kinds of ame: hard (kata ame) and soft (midzu 
ame). Ame is a substance of a light yellowish color, and it has 
a noticeable sweet flavor. All the carbohydrates contained in it 
are soluble, and in our country children and women are particu- 
larly fond of it. In my native province, Saga, it is customary to 
make presents of ame to women convalescing after childbirth ; 
a practice which is highly proper from the hygienic point of view. 
On the recent occasion of compiling a Japanese pharmacopeia 
it was reported that some sagacious person had suggested that 
Syrup t should be made from ame, but the idea was not accepted. 
The objection was made that patients might not be willing to 
regard as medicine anything made from a substance so familiarly 
known as ame is. I am not sure whether this story is true or not; 
but if it is true the refusal to use ame is regrettable, for it is an 
excellent substitute for syrup. The incident goes to show how 
shallow the knowledge of the populace still is. Even syrup 
would be liable to lose the credit in which it is now held if we 
were to explain to the common people that syrup is simply a con- 
centrated solution of sugar. On this account, therefore, the action 
of Dr. Yogen Kusano is commendable, who — in following the 
formula of Dr. Bertz—has added from one-half to one per cent 
of ferrous lactate or ferric phosphate to ame, and has purposely 
called the preparations Ext. Malti Ferratum. It would be more 
proper to call them ferruginous ame. The name of the Ext. 
Malti Ferratum that is generally used in the hospital attached to 
* From Tokei Iji Shinshi (New Medical Journal of Tokio), No. 364, 
March 21, 1885, page 355. 
+ “Syrup” =(Sirupus Simplex). Dissolve 65 parts of sugar in 35 parts 
of distilled water. Specific gravity 1.32.— From ‘“‘ Japanese pharmacopwia.” 
