black draught black draught black draught (latin: haustous) was a patent medicine used as a purgative in the 19th century and well into the early part of the 20th century, with veterinarians prescribing these to constipated cattle and horses. it is a saline aperient mixture used along with blue mass. isabella beeton's book of household management (1861) has a recipe for a black draught: 2587. the common black draught.-- infusion of senna 10 drachms; epsom salts 10 drachms; tincture of senna, compound tincture of cardamums, compound spirit of lavender, of each 1 drachm. families who make black draught in quantity, and wish to preserve it for some time without spoiling, should add about 2 drachms of spirits of hartshorn to each pint of the strained mixture, the use of this drug being to prevent its becoming mouldy or decomposed. a simpler and equally efficacious form of black draught is made by infusing 1/2 oz. of alexandrian senna, 3 oz. of epsom salts, and 2 drachms of bruised ginger and coriander-seeds, for several hours in a pint of boiling water, straining the liquor, and adding either 2 drachms of sal-volatile or spirits of hartshorn to the whole, and giving 3 tablespoonfuls for a dose to an adult. black-draught is also the name of a once-common commercial liquid syrup laxative, sold since the late 19th century, a cathartic medicine composed of a blend of senna and magnesia. much like castor oil, it was a commonly used folk remedy for many ailments. "thedford's black-draught" was marketed through booklets such as the 1899 "the ladies birthday almanac" by the chattanooga medicine company.