Diuretics. Medicines which promote the secretion of urine. The principal diuretics are aqueous fluids, which act by increasing the watery portion of the blood, and certain substances which promote the secretion of urine, by stimulating the kidneys. Among the former may be classed nearly all aqueous liquids, as most of them produce diuresis, if the skin be kept cool. Among the latter may be mentioned the nitrate, acetate, and bitartrate of potassa; oils of juniper, turpentine, cajeput, and copaiba; dilute spirit and sweet spirits of nitre; decoction of common broom, (etc..

5147. Diuretic Drops

5147.     Diuretic Drops. Tincture of kino, £ ounce; balsam of copaiba, spirits of turpentine, of each 1 ounce ; sweet spirits of nitre, 2 ounces; queen of the meadow, 1 ounce. Mix, and add 1 scruple of camphor. Take nearly a tea-spoonful in mucilage. Most valuable for scalding urine, inflammation of the kidneys, etc..

5148. Diuretic Infusion

5148.      Diuretic Infusion. Parsley seeds, 1/4 ounce; cleavers, 3/4 ounce; burdock seeds, 3/4 ounce ; coolwort, 3/4 ounce; spearmint, 1/2 ounce; juniper berries, £ ounce; linseed, 1/2 ounce; gum arabic, 1/4 ounce. Pour upon these 2 quarts boiling water; infuse 2 or 3 hours, covering the vessel. Strain, and add 1/2 pint of best gin, 4 ounces of honey, and 3 table-spoonfuls of slippery elm. This is a most valuable diuretic; it is cooling, allays all urinary affections, gravel, scalding of urine, and causes an easy and sufficient flow of the same.

5149. Diuretic Pills

5149.    Diuretic Pills. Calcined magnesia, 1 drachm; solidified copaiba, 2 ounces; extract of cubebs, 1 ounce; oil of turpentine, 4 drops; oil of juniper, 6 drops; form into 3-grain pills. Take 1 or 2 a few times a day. A sovereign remedy for diseases of the kidneys, bladder, urethra, gravel, whites, and venereal complaints.

5150. Buchu Leaves

5150.    Buchu Leaves. They are diuretic and tonic, and a most valuable remedy in rheumatism, irritable bladder, gravel, stricture, etc.. They are given in infusion and tincture. Infuse 1/2 ounce of leaves in 1/2 pint of boiling water, for 3 or 4 hours. A wine-glassful for a dose 2 or 3 times a day; or from 1 drachm to 1/2 ounce of the tincture.

5151. Compound Spirit of Juniper

5151.    Compound Spirit of Juniper. Stimulant and diuretic, administered in doses of 2 to 4 drachms. This spirit, when mixed with 2 or 3 times its weight of proof spirit, makes a fair imitation of Holland gin. Take 15 ounces bruised juniper hemes, 2 ounces each of bruised caraway and fennel, 1 gallon proof spirit, and about 1 quart water. Distill 1 gallon. The wholesale preparation is a solution of 2 drachms oil of juniper, 1/2 drachm each of the oils of caraway and sweet fennel, in 5 quarts proof spirit. If not clear, filter through magnesia.