Encyclopedia of Practical Receipts and Processes

How to silver a mirror, brew ginger beer, kill moths, make fireworks, tan a hide, bronze iron, cure a ham and clean a straw hat: William B. Dick's numbered encyclopedia answered the questions a nineteenth-century household actually had.

Medicated Syrups

36 receipts in this part of Practical Receipts and Processes.

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…

Phosphate of Iron

Dissolve 3 ounces sulphate of iron in 2 pints boiling dis- Medicated Syrups. Syrup tilled water, dissolve also 1 ounce acetate of is a…

Syrup of Phosphate of Zinc

Phosphate of zinc, 192 grains; water, 11 fluid drachms; syrupy phosphoric acid (specific gravity 1.5), 5 fluid drachms; syrup, 10 fluid Mix…

Syrup of Phosphate of Iron

Phosphate of iron, 96 grains; water, 9 fluid drachms; syrupy phosphoric acid (specific gravity 1.5), 7 fluid drachms; syrup, 10 fluid…

Syrup of Phosphate of Quinine

sugar than when prepared according to the Take of phosphate of quinia, 96 grains; wa- British Pharmacopeia. The phosphate of ter, 13 fluid…

Wiegand's Syrup of Phos- Hypophosphites

Take of hypophosphite phate of Lime. Dissolve 1 ounce precipita- of lime, 14 ounces; hypophosphite of soda, ted phosphate of lime in 1…

Syrup of Rhubarb

The officinal method of preparing the fluid extract of water, filter through paper, dissolve the sugar in the solution by the aid of heat…

Syrup of Ipecacuanha

Mix 2 fluid ounces officinal fluid extract of ipecacuanha with 30 fluid ounces syrup. (U.S. Ph). This syrup is said to become cloudy…

Chemical Food

This is pre- fluid ounce diluted alcohol, and let it stand pared by the same formula as Professor Par- for 24 hours. Then transfer it to a…

Santonate of Soda

Put into a flask, 2 ounces santoninic acid, 4 fluid ounces pure caustic soda lye, and 12 fluid ounces distilled water. Heat the flask in a…

Syrup of Santonate of Soda

Boil 18 fluid ounces syrup until it marks 320 Baumé; let it cool a few minutes, then add 30 grains santonate of soda dissolved in 1…

Syrup of Ether

The combina- and moisten them with alcohol. Let them tion of sulphuric ether with simple syrup, as stand 2 or 3 days, then put them in a…

Osborne's Syrup

This is one of the most valuable preparations that can be made for children. Simmer 114 drachms each, rhubarb root, anise seed, and…

Syrup of Seneka

Evaporate 4 fluid ounces of the fluid extract (see No. 4598) by means of a sand or water-bath to a syrupy liquid, triturate this with ounce…

Compound Chloroform Syrup

This formula for an anodyne containing chloroform will remain combined and mix readily with either spirit or water. Macerate for 2 or 3…

Syrup of Chloride of Iron

Mix 1/2 troy ounce chloride of iron with 1 pint simple syrup. Flavoring may be added to taste. Dose, a teaspoonful, as a tonic and…

Syrup of Lactate of Iron

Dissolve 1 drachm lactate of iron in 6 fluid ounces boiling water, and add 12 drachms sugar. Dose, 2 to 4 tea-spoonfuls. 4662. Syrup of…

Syrup of Tannate of Iron

Citrate of iron, 2½ drachms dissolved in 1 ounce diluted acetic acid, is added to 12 ounces simple syrup, 3 ounces raspberry syrup, and 1…

Syrup of Capsicum

Take of cayenne pepper in fine powder, 2 drachms; carbonate of magnesia, 1 drachm; sugar, in coarse powder, 14 ounces, troy. Rub the…

Syrup of Lactucarium

Triturate 1 troy ounce lactucarium to powder, and heat it with 8 fluid ounces water to the boiling point; maintain the temperature for a…

French Syrup of Santonin

ment apparatus, and gradually add alcohol Dissolve 50+ grains santonin in a little until 5 pints of the alcoholic tincture have alcohol…

Moore's Syrup of Tar

Take of tar (strained), 1 ounce (troy); pulverized sugar (refined), 12 ounces; carbonate of magnesia, 3 ounces, rubbed to powder on a…

Syrup of Hydrate of Chloral

Mix together 2 scruples hydrate of chloral, 1 drachm water, and 7 drachms simple syrup.

Syrup of Citric Acid

solve 60 grains citric acid in fine powder in sufficient warm or hot water, and add the solution to 16 fluid ounces syrup containing 30…

Compound Syrup of Hemlock

Bruise well 2 ounces each of water hemlock (Phellandrium aquaticum) seeds, queen's-root (stillingia silvatica), and red Peruvian bark…

German Syrup of Rhubarb

Take of alkaline fluid extract of rhubarb, 3 fluid ounces (sce No. 4591); oil of cinnamon, 3 minims; sugar, 36 troy ounces. Mix the oil of…

Alkaline Syrup Rhubarb

dock. Grind and mix together 2 pounds yel- Take of alkaline fluid extract of rhubarb, 6 low-dock root (rumex), 1 pound bark of false fluid…

Syrup of Guaiac

Decidedly serve so much of this second solution as conthe most agreeable manner of administering tains a sensible amount of spirit, distill…

Procter's Syrup of Tolu

Bal- making in all 2 gallons syrup. Each pint sam of tolu and carbonate of magnesia, of will contain the virtue of 4 ounces of the…

Honey of Violets

Take of cx pressed juice of violets (clear), 1 fluid ounce; Elixirs. A tincture with more than one base; or a compound of various medicinal…

Syrup of Milk

Evaporate, with constant stirring, 6 pounds of skimmed milk to 3 pounds; add 41 pounds of sugar; dissolve with a gentle heat, and strain…

Elixir of Calisaya Bark

Reduce to a moderate powder, 8 ounces Calisaya bark; 4 ounces each orange peel, cinnamon, and coriander seed; ounce each anise seed, above…

Simple Oxymel

Liquefy by heat 40 ounces (avoirdupois) clarified honey, and mix it with 5 imperial fluid ounces each acetic acid and distilled water. (Br…

Oxymel of Squills

Mix together 1 imperial pint vinegar of squills and 2 pounds (avoirdupois) clarified honey. Evaporate in a water-bath until it attains…

Clarified Honey

Melt a convenient quantity of honey by means of a water-bath, and then remove the scum. (U. S. Ph.)

Honey of Roses

Moisten 2 troy ounces red rose, in moderately fine powder, with fluid ounce diluted alcohol; pack it firmly in a conical glass percolator…

Rights & ReuseThe complete text of Encyclopedia of Practical Receipts and Processes (1872) is in the public domain in the United States — like all works published before 1928 — and is free to read, download, quote, teach from, and reuse. This digital edition (its transcription, restored images, and site design) is © 2026 PhotoOpAI, and any editorial commentary we add is clearly marked as ours; the underlying public-domain text carries no such restriction.