CY:-TICERCUS. — Feletti has observed tr,provement in several cases of cysti , rcus di,(ase following the use of the P.hercal extract of male fern, more espe illy when the lesions were in the sub utam °us 4-,r muscular tissues.
MALT.—Malt is prepared from the ‘ped of barley (lIordeum distichum, order irayainacia) by the process of artificial rn ati, n and subsequent desiccation. TI e I arley-grains are soaked in water ,oft. The water is then drained rd and the grain is placed in suitable ptacles and subjected to an elevated -r-mperature for several days. It is then 1._“-ed in heaps, in a darkened room, berP it is allowed to germinate until pli,mule has grown to be half as long the seed The germination is then (1-.fel:(41 thP application of heat, which ma-ntained until it is perfectly dry, uhen it has become what is known as ma t. If the last heat be a low one pale cr amber malt results; if dark malt is desired the heat applied is higher and the malt may be almost roasted. The former varieties are used in medicine, the latter for making porter and dark beers. :Malt has a sweet taste and an agreeable odor. In the process of malting the albumins are softened and made more spongy, the starch is changed by the ac tion of the vegetable diastase, resident in the grain, with dextrin and maltose (malt-sugar).
Diastase, or maltine, is closely allied to ptyalin and to pancreatin. Their ac tion upon starch is similar, if not iden tical. Haw starch is very slowly acted upon. On cooked starch it first pro duces a liquefying action, afterward con verting it into dextrin and later into maltose. These ferments act best in a neutral medium. Its action is slow in an alkaline medium and is inhibited or even destroyed by the presence of an acid.
Malt is used by brewers to make beer, ale, and porter, and by distillers to make spirits. 3Ialt enters into the combina tion of many foods designed for infants and invalids, of which Liebig's is the type, either with or without the addi tion of milk.
Malt is usually employed in the form of the extract, which is made by mixing the malt with water at a moderate heat (under 160° F.). The mixture is left until all the starchy matter has been changed into dextrin and maltose, when it is evaporated in vacuum-pans to the consistency of thick honey. If the water
is entirely extracted in the vacuum-ap paratus, dry extract of malt is obtained, which is the form -used in the prepara tion of foods for invalids and children. Another form of liquid malt (so-called diastasie extract of malt) is prepared by macerating well-malted barley in warm water for several hours; the infusion is ! then simmered with fresh hops at a tem perature under 160° F., to retain the diastase and other albuminoids unim paired, and then subjected to fermenta tion. The resultant liquid contains alco hol from a trace up to 10 per cent. It resembles porter or brown-stout in taste and appearance.
The ordinary extract of malt, resem bling honey, is a good vehicle for cod liver-oil, forming with it an excellent emulsion. It also serves as a vehicle for iron, quinine, the hypophosphites, pep , sin, cascara, peptones, etc.
Physiological Action.— The claims 1 that malt is a valuable reconstructive and digestant, though to a degree sus tained by clinical observation, are not accounted for by what is thought to be its behavior in the stomach. The ob servations of Chittenden and Cummins would tend to demonstrate that the dias tase — a ferment, formed during the germination of malt acid, is capable of converting nearly two thousand parts of starch into dextrin and glucose—is de stroyed by the gastric juice. It must, therefore, be inert when the duodenum 1 is reached. Again, the secretions being I alkaline, any diastase not affected by the 1 gastric juice would be hampered here, Li since it is known to act imperfectly in 11 an alkaline medium. A neutral solution is required to obtain its best effects. , That its physiological effects are still , practically unknown is apparent.
Therapeuties.—Malt is a food-element, since it contains all the nutritive sub ' stances of malted barley and the ferment diastase which aids in the digestion of starchy foods. It is of pleasant taste and can be taken alone, on bread, or in milk. 1 It may also be taken as a food in the I form of an emulsion with an equal quan i tity of codliver-oil. It is useful in the ! wasting diseases, especially in marasmus and tuberculosis. Extract of malt is often retained when codliver-oil is not tolerated.