MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS.
Lifusum Jnniperi Compositum—Mr. Procter says: Having had occa-
sion to prepare a variety of diuretics, for a member of my family affected
with valvular disease, attended by dropsical effusion into the pleura and
pericardium, none of them proved so successful as the infusion of Juni-
per berries with cream of tartar. The necessity of making the infusion
every day, led to the adoption of the following formula, which was after-
wards used with much satisfaction.
Take of Juniper berries, thoroughly bruised, four ounces.
Holland gin,	-	-	four fluid ounces.
Boiling water,	-	-	twelve fluid ounces.
r Pour the boiling water over the bruised juniper, add the gin, mix
them and let them macerate for twelve hours. The whole should then
be thrown on a cotton cloth and expressed, and sufflcient water added to
the dregs and pressed out to make the infusion measure a pint.
The preparation thus made has an opaque brown color, and a decided
odor and taste of the berries. When desirable, it may be made more
active by rubbing one drachm of the oil of juniper with the bruised ber-
ries, then pouring the gin upon them, and after macerating an hour, add-
ing the boiling water, and continuing the maceration for eight or ten
hours longer. The liquid is then separated by expression as above.
When made by the last method, the infusion contains more of the oleo-
resin of juniper in suspension, and is much less agreeable to the taste,
but is more active and efficient. When the patient is troubled with gas-
tric irritability, the first infusion is more appropiate. Whichever may
be employed, the dose is from a tablespoonful to a wine glassful, mixed
with a teaspoonful or more of cream of tartar, three times a day regular-
ly. It is much better in prescribing juniper berries and cream of tar-
tar for a patient, to direct the salt to be kept separate from the berries,
and administered by measured doses with the infusion after it is made;
because, when they are infused together, a large portion of the bitar-
trate crystallizes among the juniper dregs as the infusion cools, and is
lost by straining the infusion.—Journal of Pharmacy.