4614. Essence of Spearmint

4614. Essence of Spearmint. 1 ounce of essential oil to 1 pint of spirit of wine tinged green. Process, use, and dose, the same as essence of peppermint. (See No. 4G10.)

4615. Bitter Essence

4615.    Bitter Essence. Wormwood, 4 parts; gentian root, bitter orange peel, and blessed thistle, of each 1 part; alcohol, 45 parts; digest for a week. Dose, 1/2 drachm to 2 drachms, combined with mixtures. Tonic and stomachic.

4616. Essence of Beef

4616.    Essence of Beef. Chop fine 1 pound lean beef, place it with 1/2 pint of water in a bottle which they will only half fill, and agitate violently for half an hour; then throw the whole on a sieve, and receive the liquid in a jug. Next, boil the undissolved portion in 1 pint of water for 20 minutes; strain, and mix the decoction with the cold infusion;

evaporate the liquid to the consistence of thin syrup, adding spice, salt, etc., to suit the taste, and pour the essence, while boiling hot, into bottles (see next receipt), or jars, or (still better) tin cans, which must be closed up airtight, and kept in a cool place. (See No. 1634 (To Can Fresh Fruit).)

4617. To Fill Glass Bottles with Boiling Liquid

4617.     To Fill Glass Bottles with Boiling Liquid. If boiling liquid be poured into cold bottles, there is a great risk of the bottle breaking, involving probably the loss of the contents. To prevent this,stand the bottles in a wide pan with sufficient cool water to reach nearly to the top of the bottles ; pour sufficient water in each bottle to prevent it floating, and then let the water in the pan be brought gradually to a boil. As each bottle is to be filled, take it out of the pan, empty the water out of it, and fill it immediately.

4618. Ellis's Essence of Beef

4618.    Ellis's Essence of Beef. Take lean beef, sliced thin, sufficient to fill the body of a porter bottle; cork it loosely, and place it in a pot of cold water, attaching the neck by means of a string to the handle of the pot; boil for 11/2 or 2 hours, then decant the liquid and skim it. This can be seasoned and packed as in receipt No. 461G.

4619. Concentrated Essence of Ginger

4619.    Concentrated Essence of Ginger. Unbleached, well-bruised Jamaica ginger, 4 ounces; rectified spirit of wine, 1 pint; digest for 2 weeks, press and filter.

4620. Oxley's Concentrated Essence of Jamaica Ginger

4620.    Oxley's Concentrated Essence of Jamaica Ginger. The same as the preceding, with the addition of a very small quantity of essence of cayenne.

4621. Very Strong Concentrated

4621.    Very Strong Concentrated. Essence of Ginger. Bruised unbleached Jamaica ginger, 12 pounds; rectified spirit of wine, 21/2 gallons; digest 14 days, press, strain, and reduce the essence by distillation to 1 gallon; cool and filter. This produces a most beautiful article. It is at once inexpensive and easily performed, as the spirit distilled off may be used with advantage for preparing the common tincture of ginger, and several other articles; 2 ounces of this essence are regarded as equivalent to 3 ounces of the finest ginger. A single drop swallowed will almost produce suffocation.

4622. Concentrated Essence of Ginger

4622.    Concentrated Essence of Ginger. Ginger and animal charcoal, both in coarse powder, equal parts; add enough rectified spirits of wine to perfectly moisten them, and after 24 hours put the mass into a percolator, return the first runnings 2 or 3 times, then change the receiver, and pour on spirit gradually as required, and at intervals, until as much essence is obtained as there was ginger employed. Quality excellent. The mass remaining in the percolator may be treated with fresh spirit until exhausted, and the tincture so obtained may be advantageously employed, instead of spirit, in making more essence with fresh ginger. The last portion of spirit in the mass may be obtained by adding a little water. (See Percolation, No. 41.)

4623. Concentrated Essence of Gua-iacum

4623.    Concentrated Essence of Gua-iacum. Guaiacum shavings, from which the dust has been sifted, 3 cwt. Exhaust the wood by boiling with water, as in preparing an extract, using as little of that fluid as is absolutely necessary; evaporate to exactly 13/4 gallons; let it stand until cold, stirring it all the time to prevent the deposit of resinous matter; put the whole into a bottle; add spirit of wine, 5 pints; agitate repeatedly for a week, then allow it to settle for 7 or 8 days, and decant the clear into another bottle. This preparation is frequently substituted for guaiacum shavings in the preparation of compound decoction of sarsaparilla. 1 pint of this essence is considered equivalent to 19 pounds of guaiacum in substance.

4624. Essence of Quinine

4624. Essence of Quinine. Take dilute sulphate of quinine, 1 drachm ; rectified spirit, 1 fluid ounce; mix, add of dilute sulphuric acid (specific gravity 1.087 to 1.090), 1/2 fluid drachm (or less, on no account more), and agitate it thoroughly until solution is complete. A few drops added to water form an excellent wash for foul, spongy, and tender gums, loose teeth, etc..; also for weak hair.