The dispensatory of the United States of America / by George B. Wood and Franklin Bache.
- Date:
- 1865
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The dispensatory of the United States of America / by George B. Wood and Franklin Bache. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![azure-blue colour, and the peculiar flavour of milfoil. The active principles are extracted both by water and alcohol. Medical Properties. The medical properties of the herb are those of a mild aromatic tonic and astringent. In former times it was much used as a vulne- rary, and was given internally for the suppression of hemorrhages, and of pro- fuse mucous discharges. It was employed also in intermittents, and as an anti- spasmodic in flatulent colic and nervous affections. It has recently been highly recommended by M. Riehart, of Soissons, in low forms of exanthematous fevers with difficult eruption, in colic, painful menstruation, and infantile convulsions. He uses the infusion at once as a drink, an injection, and fomentation. (Journ. de Pharm. et de Chim., xviii. 62.) Dr. B. II. Coates, of Philadelphia, has found it useful in hemorrhage ( Trans, of Philad. Col. of Phys. N. S. ii. 334); and Dr. R. Joly, of France, has used it very advantageously as an emmenagogue, and states that it is much employed popularly, in his neighbourhood, for the same purpose. (Bullet. Gen. de Therap., Mars, 1857.) He has also found it useful in the suppressed lochia. In some parts of Sweden it is said to be employed as a substitute for hops in the preparation of beer, which it is thought to render more intoxicating. It is most conveniently administered in the form of infusion, which may be made in the proportion of an ounce to the pint, and given in the dose of a wineglassful or more. The volatile oil has been given in the dose of twenty or thirty drops. W. ACIDUM ACETICUM. U. S., Br. Acetic Acid. Acetic acid of the sp. gr. P047, and containing 36 per cent, of monohydrated acetic acid. U. S. An acid liquid prepared from wood by destructive distilla- tion, and containing 28 per cent, of anhydrous Acetic Acid. The sp. gr. is 1044. Br. ACIDUM ACETICUM GLACIALE. Br. Glacial Acetic Acid. Monohydrated Acetic Acid, HO,C4H303, of the sp. gr. 1-065, which is in- creased by adding to the acid 10 per cent, of water. Br. Exclusive of Acidum Aceticum Dilutum, which will be noticed in the second part of this work, two strengths of acetic acid are now officinal in the U. S. and British Pharmacopoeias, assuming those acids to be identical which approach most nearly to equality in specific gravity. These are the Acidum Aceticum Glaciate, Br., of the sp. gr. P065, for the preparation of which the British Phar- macopoeia gives a formula, and the Acidum Aceticum, U. S., Br., of the sp. gr. 1-047 as directed by our officinal standard, and 1044 by the British, which is placed in the Materia Medica Catalogue of both Pharmacopoeias. We shall consider these grades of acid separately, in the order of their strength. Acidum Aceticum Glaciale, sp. gr. 1-065. Br. The following is the process of the British Pharmacopoeia. Take of Acetate of Soda twenty ounces [avoirdupois] ; Sulphuric Acid eight fluidounces. Place the Acetate of Soda in a porcelain basin on a moderately warm sand bath, apply heat till it liquefies, and, continuing the heat, stir until the Salt becomes pulverulent; let the heat be now raised so as to produce fusion, and then instantly remove the salt from the fire. As soon as it has cooled break up the mass, and place it in a stoppered retort capable of holding three pints [Imperial measure], and connected with a Liebig's condenser. Pour the Sulphuric Acid on the salt, quickly replace the stopper, and, when the dis- 2](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21165282_0033.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
