Drop, Black

Syn. Armstrong’s black drop, Lancaster’s b. d., Quaker’s b. d., To us tall’s b. d., Bra i thwaite’s genuine b. d.; Gutta nigra , L. This celebrated preparation was originally prepared nearly a century and a half ago by Edward To us tall, a medical practitioner in the county of Durham, and one of the Society of Friends. The formula pa ing into the po e ion of a relative of his (John Walton, of Shildon), was found among his brother’s papers, and, by the permi ion of Thomas Richardson, of Bishop’s Wear mouth, one of his executors, was handed to Dr Armstrong, who subsequently published it in his work on typhus fever. Prep. 1. (Original formula.) Opium (sliced), 1 ⁄ 2 lb.; good verjuice, 3 pints; nutmegs, 1 1 ⁄ 2 oz.; saffron, 1 ⁄ 2 oz.; boil them to a proper thickne ; then add, of sugar, 1 ⁄ 4 lb., and yeast, 2 teaspoonfuls. Set the whole in a warm place, near the fire, for 6 or 8 weeks, then place it in the open air until it becomes of the consistence of a syrup; lastly, decant, filter, and bottle it up, adding a little sugar to each bottle. To yield two pints of strained liquor. 2. ( Acetum Opii , L.—U. S.) Opium, 8 oz.; nutmeg, 1 1 ⁄ 2 oz. (both in coarse powder); saffron, 1 ⁄ 2 oz.; distilled vinegar, 24 fl. oz.; digest on a sand bath with a gentle heat for 48 hours, and strain; digest the residuum with an equal quantity of distilled vinegar for 24 hours; then put the whole into a percolator, and return the filtered liquid as it pa es until it runs clear; afterwards pour on the material, fresh distilled vinegar until 48 fl. oz. of filtered liquor shall be obtained; in this di olve sugar, 12 oz., and gently evaporate the whole to 52 fl. oz. 3. (Wholesale.) Opium, 10 oz., and distilled vinegar, 1 quart, are digested together for about a fortnight, and after sufficient repose the clear portion is decanted. This is the form commonly adopted by the wholesale trade in England.— Dose , 5 to 10 drops. It is usually considered to be of fully 4 times the strength of laudanum.