I think they meant drachm which is A unit of capacity or volume in the apothecary system equal to one eighth of a fluid ounce cheers, Pete On 1/27/11 1:19 PM, John S Wilkinson wrote: > > > What is a drachum? > > > > In 1889 there was an outbreak of dysentery and typhoid fever in St. Mary's > County. An excerpt from the St. Mary's Beacon dated September 5, 1889, > mentions the troubles faced by the family of Abell Hammett: > > > > An Afflicted Family > > Seven deaths have occurred in Mr. Abell Hammett's family within six weeks. > Dysentery and typhoid fever are diseases to be dreaded, and it appears that > the medical skill of the doctors have availed little in accomplishing the > desired effect. No doubt that their mental and physical capacities have been > taxed to the utmost. > > Chills and fever are beginning to show what they can do. Vegetation is > profuse, consequently the decomposition of the same produces a plentiful > product of maisma. For the benefit of those who reside in the malarial > districts the following recipe is given, which we assert to be beneficial, > if the ingredients be carefully selected and prepared and the directions be > faithfully followed: Peruvian bark and wild cherry bark, each two ounces; > cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, each one drachum; wine or good rye whiskey, 2 > quarts. Let stand a few days to extract the strength. Dose - A small wine > glass every three hours. > > Try it ye afflicted and be benefited. > > > > > > > > John S Wilkinson > > Rome, NY > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message