Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-02-14

Home HEALTH
Club r.. !
), By DAVID u. REEDER. Ph. D., n. D.
La Porte, Ind.
SIMPLE SYRUP

Ndut Is Supp1leu d lew more appear,
and this time several correspondents !
want to know how to prepare medicin-
al sirups.
If you were to receive prescription
from a physician, and he desired to
prescribe some remedy in which there
was simple sirup, the chances are a
hundred to one that he would write
it "Syr~ Simplex" this, you would
naturally not understandable mean
ing is simple strip. And if you were
to go into almost any kitchen in the
country and ask the good housewife
to make you some sugar sirup she
would make it, without referring to
and water.
If l were asked to tell her just how
to make it, I would say, pour two
pints of boiling water upon a scant
two pounds and a half of dry white
sugar; place upon hot stove, and stir
occasionally until 1T starts to boil,
when it should be instantly. removed;
if it is not then removed it will get
thick and sugary. This will make one
quart of simple sirup, and there may
| be added to it essence Of ginger, pep
| permint or orange flower by way of
! f1avOring. One ounce of fluid extract
| added to three ounces of simple strip
Dose, one teaspoonful.
Some agents are mild, and in those
cases double the average proportion
or two tablespoonfuls, may be used:
while OF other agents having a great
deal OF strength and action, one-half
teaspoonful will be sufficient.
Some stomachs revolt against every
form of sirup. and yet cannot endure
infusions. 1T is also sometimes incon-
venient to continually prepare them
in protracted cases. Under such cir
cumstances vehicle for fluid extracts
may be prepared by adding two ounces
OF glycerine to IL ounces of a rather
l vehicle is well suited to take the
place of sirups, when it is desired to
administer remedies to persons suffer
ing from diabetes or obesity Alcohol
is sometimes used instead Of glycerine
as preservative, but under all cir
cumstances it should be remembered
that alcohol does not in any way add
to the remedial properties of com.
pound, but simply serves as preserv-
alive or as an extractive.
MEDICINAL SYRUPS.
Medicinal s!rups are prepared on the
following basis: To compound a half
gallon of medicinal strip use on an
average one pound Of coarsely ground
drugs. Place these in porcelain OF
very new tin kettle and cover them
with water, eight parts, and alcohol
one part, and then tightly cover the
kettle and allow all to stand in COO
place for "a hours, at the end of which
time the liquid should be strained into
a suitable vessel, and allowed to stanG
in the closed kettle for four hours.
Have at hand a large funnel, also
an unbleached muslin sack, prepared
to fit within it. Snugly close the
mouth of the funnel with cotton ant
then adjust the bag and fill in the
drugs with the hot water and pres:
. |
through rapidly three times, when i
will be rather clear. Add enough
cold water to this to make one part
and then let all drip through slowly
and add to it the alcohol and wate1
first strained out, and set aside. This
should make about one quart and &
pint.
To this should be added now foul
pounds Of pure white sugar, slight,
stirring over slow fire to dissolve
the sugar, and to drive off the alcoho
; used as an eXtractive. Then add foul
ounces OF glycerfne, as a preservative
Smaller quantities of drugs are diff
cult to handle, and twice the quantity
) will be found much more convenient
) making a gallon of sirup which will
J keep any length of time in ordinary
well stoppered bottles without seal.
ing
I have now given you the simples1
and pl:.lnest instruction at my com
mand -or making tinctures, extracts
and sirups. These methods are scien
tifical1y correct, although they have
been couched in language 50 simpIe
and plain that anyone with average
intelligence can prepare the ingredi
ents. There may be an occasional fail
ure to get things just right, and some
times it may be found necessary to ex.
pertinent a little in regard to tbs
dosage.
In preparing home remedies, it is
necessary to use a large quantity OF
the ingredient which an old negro
cock said. that she always used, when
asked to give a formula, or recipe, for
compromising some of her most excel
lent dishes, and that was Judgment
Or good common sense. Some herbs
will have more strength than others
have grown in better locality, and
been gathered at the proper time; such
will be found much more effective in
their action than those of an inferior
quality; therefore, as l said before
} always put a little Judgment into your
compounds when making them, and
again when administering them to the
sick.
Some patients require much large,
dose of any given remedy than others;
therefore, when you attempt to relieve
another's ills you should make some
study Of that patients constitution
and ascertain if possible what the usu.
al effect of the remedies is. Some peo
pie seem to be born with natural apti
tude in caring for the sick, and they