SARSAPARILLA.

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occur iu enfeebled and emaciated constitutions,cases, its value principally depends on its tonic and

°ne particular elementary form, since it is given with good effect inI “pular, vesicular, pustular, and tubercular skin diseases, of a chronic.‘ud, when theyl °ugli, in these

orative effects, its diaphoretic operation is to be encouraged by theSe of diluents, warm clothing, &c.

In cachectic conditions of the system generally, sarsaparilla may bej’ ' e n, often with the best effects, and never with any ill consequences,

' Ve that of occasionally producing slight nausea. Indeed, one of theh oat advantages of sarsaparilla over many other alteratives and tonics,^ ’ that although it may fail in doing good, it never does any harme yond that of now and then causing slight disorder of stomach. In^ lr °i)ic abscesses, attended with profuse discharge, diseases of the° n es, obstinate ulcers, chronic pulmonary affections accompanied withb eat wasting of the body, enlarged glands, and various other maladies'Elected with a depraved state of the system, sarsaparilla is often aer y useful medicine.

j ^ministration. —Sarsaparilla is exhibited in substance, and in ther J n of infusion, decoction, extract, and syrup.

^ Purvis Sarzje. —The ordinary dose of this is from half a drachm°ne or two drachms. Half an ounce frequently nauseates, and incases gives rise to vomiting. Powder of Jamaica sarsaparilla isjj J(; preferred to that of other varieties. It is redder than that of theI'oduras kind, and produces a much less intense blue colour when“bed with water and tincture of iodine. I have been informed thatuie druggists employ, in the preparation of the powder, the roots from^ch the extract has been prepared. This fraud may be detected bye powder being almost devoid of taste, macerating it in water, and. r °fully comparing the infusion with one prepared from an unadul-r ^ed sample.

v j A Infusum Sarsaparilla compositum ,~D. —Sarsaparilla root pre-Us ly cleansed with cold water and sliced, Sj.; Lime Water, Oj.^ c erate for twelve hours in a covered vessel, with occasional agitation,

. ( * strain. According to Mr. Battley (Land. Med. Rep. xix. 169) lime( j^er i s no t so good a solvent for the constituents of sarsaparilla root astar^kd ' vater: f° r 874 grains of the root lost only 140 grains by mace-it) 'i° n * n l' me water; whereas the same quantity of root lost 175 grainsa ^stilled water. The dose of this infusion is from fSiv. to f3vj. two orr ® e times a day.

q-’ • Decoctum Sarzje, L. E. Decoctum Sarsaparilla, D.—Sarza,qj Ce d [and cleansed with cold water, D.}, 3v. [jiv. !>.]; Boiling Water ,f lfe - “ Macerate for four hours, in a vessel lightly covered, near thel f) ’ then take out and bruise the sarsaparilla. When bruised return itt * le liquor, and again macerate in the same manner for two hours ;towards boil down to two pints, and strain.” An objection has beento this, as well as to all preparations of sarsaparilla made bythat the heat employed volatilizes or decomposes the active(ty'^'l'le °f the root. “ An infusion of sarsaparilla,” says SoubeiranTraite de Pharm. t. ii. p. 168), “ which is odorous and sapid,^ s hoth its odour and taste by boiling for a few minutes: thesespeak but little in favour of the decoction. On the other0(1 > it is known that the fibrous parts of vegetables always give

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