The royal pharmacopœea, galenical and chymical according to the practice of the most eminent and learned physitians of France : and publish'd with their several approbations / by Moses Charras, th Kings chief operator in his royal garden of plants ; faithfully Englished ; illustrated with several copper plates.

CHAP. LVI. Of the Extract of Tithymal.

I Will not in this preparation, nor any where else, imitate the Ancients in the infu∣sion which they make of the root of Tithymal, for fear of carrying off by that powerful acid, that which is chiefly sought for in this Extract, which is to purge serosities, and particularly Hydropick waters; believing that this preparation may be better made, without making use of any such acid, if this method be ob∣serv'd.

Having gather'd in the month of May, in fair weather, what quantity you please of the whole plant of the lesser Essula or Spurge, wash it well, then bruise it in a Marble Mortar with a wood'n Pestle, and fill about two thirds of a glass Cucurbit, then pouring upon it good new white-wine, till it swim above four good fingers breadth above the herbs, cover it with a vessel of Rencounter well luted; then ha∣ving kept it for four and twenty hours upon a Bath of Sand, over a very moderate fire, strain and press out the infusion, and keep it apart, then return the sediment into the Cucurbit, and having pour'd upon it good Spirit of wine till it surmount the ingre∣dient only one good fingers breadth, cover the Cucurbit again with a vessel of Rencounter, and having well luted the jointures, keep it five or six hours in the same Bath, then having again strain'd and press'd out the last infusion, and having mingl'd the liquor with the former, pass them through a sheet of Cap-paper; then put them into a clean Cucurbit, plac'd in a Sand-bath, having cover'd it with its head, and well luted the jointures, as also those of the Recipient fitted to the beak, and reco∣ver the Spirit of wine with a moderate fire; Then pouring out the remainder into a glaz'd Pipkin, plac'd in the same Bath, gently evaporate the superfluous moisture, till that which remains do become as thick as an extract. Then letting it cool, aro∣matize it with some few drops of oil of Anniseseed, Cloves or Cinnamon, and keep it till occasion.

The Extract of Spurge is a powerful Hydragogue or drawer forth of water; and therefore is made use of with success in dropsies, from half a scruple to half a dram, in Bolus or Pills, repeating the use, and increasing the dose according to occasion.

You may prepare several other Extracts proper to purge waters, and among the rest those of the Roots of Orrice, Briony, and Elder; drawing forth the juice, de∣purating the juices, and causing them to evaporate. softly in a glaz'd pipkin, to the thickness of Extracts: or by macerating these roots, well bruis'd in white-wine, for ten or twelve hours, straining and pressing out the infusion, and filtring and evapo∣rating the liquor to a necessary consistence. The dose and use of these Extracts are much the same with those of the Root of Spurge.

There is also a water purging Extract to be prepar'd more violent then these,

with the clarified juice of the fruit of the wild Coucumber, evaporated over a small fire, in a glaz'd earthen pipkin, to the consistence of an Extract. Which Ex∣tract is call'd Elaterium, the dose whereof is not above two, three or four grains at most. I omit those Extracts which may be drawn from the leaves or seeds of Sea Bindweed, Spurge Lawrel, Dwarfe Bay, Hops and Elder: the preparation where∣of would be easy enough, were they much in use.

You may also dry and burn the sediment of these Extracts to draw forth a Salt out of them, and to mix with them, when they are perfectly prepar'd.