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Source
				State Archives of Florida, Collection M81-24            
          Description
				Dr. John Davidson's volume of remedies and recipes to cure various illnesses and to treat diseases. The book, dated August 3, 1843, covers treatments for such sicknesses as pneumonia and consumption to recipes for laxatives and expurgants.            
          Date
									1843-08-03
								
							  Creator
        
        Page 45
Dropsy.
[Recipe]. As much black snakeroot
87. as you can grasp between the
thumb & middle finger, steep
in one quart of Iemaca [sic] rum
48 hours. One pound new nails
(free from rust) steeped in one
qt. of cider vinegar 48 hours
each drawn off & added togeth
er to be simmered in an
iron vessel down to 1 qt. cov-
ered with a pewter vessel
add while simmering togeth
er 1 [pound] of brown sugar, keep
it stirred while simmering.
A wine glass full Morn. Noon,
& Eve; abstain entirely from milk.
          
Dropsy.
[Recipe]. As much black snakeroot
87. as you can grasp between the
thumb & middle finger, steep
in one quart of Iemaca [sic] rum
48 hours. One pound new nails
(free from rust) steeped in one
qt. of cider vinegar 48 hours
each drawn off & added togeth
er to be simmered in an
iron vessel down to 1 qt. cov-
ered with a pewter vessel
add while simmering togeth
er 1 [pound] of brown sugar, keep
it stirred while simmering.
A wine glass full Morn. Noon,
& Eve; abstain entirely from milk.
Title
Dropsy, Lotion for Itch, Sarsaparilla Beer
            Subject
Medicine -- History -- 19th century -- Florida
                    Pharmacology -- United States -- 19th century
                    Pharmaceutical Preparations -- History.
                    Plants, Medicinal -- United States.
                    Materia Medica -- United States -- History.
                    Medicine--Formulae, receipts, prescriptions.
            Description
Dr. John Davidson's volume of remedies and recipes to cure various illnesses and to treat diseases. The book, dated August 3, 1843, covers treatments for such sicknesses as pneumonia and consumption to recipes for laxatives and expurgants.
            Creator
Davidson, John M. W.
            Source
State Archives of Florida, Collection M81-24
            Date
1843-08-03
            Format
journals (accounts)
            Language
eng-US
            Type
Text
            Identifier
m81-24_24
            Coverage
Territorial Florida (1821-1845)
            Thumbnail
/fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/physician.jpg
            Transcript
Page 45
Dropsy.
[Recipe]. As much black snakeroot
87. as you can grasp between the
thumb & middle finger, steep
in one quart of Iemaca [sic] rum
48 hours. One pound new nails
(free from rust) steeped in one
qt. of cider vinegar 48 hours
each drawn off & added togeth
er to be simmered in an
iron vessel down to 1 qt. cov-
ered with a pewter vessel
add while simmering togeth
er 1 [pound] of brown sugar, keep
it stirred while simmering.
A wine glass full Morn. Noon,
& Eve; abstain entirely from milk.
                    Dropsy.
[Recipe]. As much black snakeroot
87. as you can grasp between the
thumb & middle finger, steep
in one quart of Iemaca [sic] rum
48 hours. One pound new nails
(free from rust) steeped in one
qt. of cider vinegar 48 hours
each drawn off & added togeth
er to be simmered in an
iron vessel down to 1 qt. cov-
ered with a pewter vessel
add while simmering togeth
er 1 [pound] of brown sugar, keep
it stirred while simmering.
A wine glass full Morn. Noon,
& Eve; abstain entirely from milk.
Page 46
Lotion for Itch.
[Recipe]. Mur. Ammon. [1 dram].
88. Oxymur. Hyd. [half dram].
Aq. foul. [8 ounces]. M.
------
Sarsparilla Beer
[Recipe]. Rio Negro Sarsa. bruised [2 pounds].
89. Cort. Guaiac. Powd. [8 ounces].
Guaiac wood (rasped)
Sem. Arrisi
Rad Glycyrrh. aa [4 ounces].
Cort. Rad. Mezereon. [2 ounces].
Treacle [2 pounds].
Bruised cloves. 1 Doz.
Pour on 4 gal. boiling water & shake
the vessel thrice a day. When ferment.
begins use A. s. tumbler full 2 or 3 times a day.
U.S. Dispen. Page 590.
            Lotion for Itch.
[Recipe]. Mur. Ammon. [1 dram].
88. Oxymur. Hyd. [half dram].
Aq. foul. [8 ounces]. M.
------
Sarsparilla Beer
[Recipe]. Rio Negro Sarsa. bruised [2 pounds].
89. Cort. Guaiac. Powd. [8 ounces].
Guaiac wood (rasped)
Sem. Arrisi
Rad Glycyrrh. aa [4 ounces].
Cort. Rad. Mezereon. [2 ounces].
Treacle [2 pounds].
Bruised cloves. 1 Doz.
Pour on 4 gal. boiling water & shake
the vessel thrice a day. When ferment.
begins use A. s. tumbler full 2 or 3 times a day.
U.S. Dispen. Page 590.
ImageID
journal45-46
            Geographic Term
Quincy (Fla.)
                    Gadsden County (Fla.)
            Chicago Manual of Style
Davidson, John M. W. Dropsy, Lotion for Itch, Sarsaparilla Beer. 1843-08-03. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/275290>, accessed 4 November 2025.
MLA
Davidson, John M. W. Dropsy, Lotion for Itch, Sarsaparilla Beer. 1843-08-03. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/275290>
AP Style Photo Citation
(State Archives of Florida/Davidson)
  
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