HaxX0r
Member
Found a website with quite a few .pdf's of old texts regarding botanical medicines. The "Fenner's Complete Formulary and Handbook (1888) " files are particularly interesting because it details the formulations of the contents of the bottles we are finding (bitters, cures, tonics, remedies, etc). Thought everyone might like to know what was in those bottles!
SW School of Botanical Medicine
Heres one example:
Blood Purifier.
Burdock Root, 8 ounces av.
Stillingia, 8 ounces av.
Sarsaparilla, 8 ounces av.
Senna Leaves, 4 ounces av.
Sassafras Bark, 2 ounces av.
Iodide of Potassium, 1 ounce av.
Oil of Wintergreen, 20 minims..
Sugar, 1 pound av.
Alcohol, 31/2 pints.
Water, sufficient to make a gallon.
Grind the drugs to a coarse powder, and, having mixed a pint of the
Alcohol with a pint of Water, macerate them for 24 hours with the
liquid; then pack in a percolator, mix the remaining 21/2 pints of Alcohol
with an equal measure of Water and pour upon the drugs; set in a
warm place for 24 hours, then percolate slowly, adding Water to the
drugs after the liquid has all disappeared from the surface, and
continuing the percolation until 71/2 pints have passed. Dissolve the Oil
of Wintergreen in half an ounce of Alcohol and add the solution, with
the Sugar and Iodide of Potassium, to the percolate ; dissolve and filter.
The dose is a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful.
This may be put up as Blood Purifying Bitters, Blood Cleanser, or by
any other similar title.
SW School of Botanical Medicine
Heres one example:
Blood Purifier.
Burdock Root, 8 ounces av.
Stillingia, 8 ounces av.
Sarsaparilla, 8 ounces av.
Senna Leaves, 4 ounces av.
Sassafras Bark, 2 ounces av.
Iodide of Potassium, 1 ounce av.
Oil of Wintergreen, 20 minims..
Sugar, 1 pound av.
Alcohol, 31/2 pints.
Water, sufficient to make a gallon.
Grind the drugs to a coarse powder, and, having mixed a pint of the
Alcohol with a pint of Water, macerate them for 24 hours with the
liquid; then pack in a percolator, mix the remaining 21/2 pints of Alcohol
with an equal measure of Water and pour upon the drugs; set in a
warm place for 24 hours, then percolate slowly, adding Water to the
drugs after the liquid has all disappeared from the surface, and
continuing the percolation until 71/2 pints have passed. Dissolve the Oil
of Wintergreen in half an ounce of Alcohol and add the solution, with
the Sugar and Iodide of Potassium, to the percolate ; dissolve and filter.
The dose is a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful.
This may be put up as Blood Purifying Bitters, Blood Cleanser, or by
any other similar title.
