Mel Despumatum (U. S. P.)—Clarified Honey.
Preparation.—"Honey, a convenient quantity; glycerin, a sufficient quantity. Mix the honey intimately with two (2) per cent of its weight of paper-pulp, which has been previously reduced to shreds; thoroughly washed and soaked in water, and then strongly expressed and again shredded. Then apply the heat of a water-bath, and, as long as any scum rises to the surface, carefully remove this. Finally, add enough distilled water to make up the loss incurred by evaporation, strain, and mix the strained liquid with five (5) per cent of its weight of glycerin"—(U. S. P.). Some older processes employed for purification of honey, at boiling beat, the white of eggs, animal charcoal, gelatin, with subsequent addition of tannic acid, etc. (see description of these processes in this Dispensatory, preceding editions). "Clarified honey should conform to the tests of purity given under honey (see Mel)"—(U. S. P.).
Pharmaceutical Uses.—Honey is used in the preparation of pills, confections, oxymels, and medicated honeys.
Mellita.—Medicated honeys. Simple mixtures of drugs with honey, prepared extemporaneously on account of their liability to decompose.
Oxymellita.—Oxymels. Medicated honeys, containing vinegar, or acetic acid (see Oxymel).
