Several years ago I posted a recipe for dandelion wine, and this sounds somewhat similar. I haven’t tried either one, and frankly I haven’t tried drinking dandelion wine ever. It’s just not something I have come across. This tonic purports to cure “spring fever” but I’m really not sure what that is beyond a need to get out of the house. It’s loaded with sugar so it probably gives you an energy boost. Dandelions are considered an herb and as such have some possible curative properties. They may help with increasing urination or decreasing inflammation, upset stomach or loss of appetite, gas or muscle aches. Basically it’s all over the place. Before using any home remedy or herbs, consult with your doctor.

My interpretation of the text is below.

Dandelion Tonic

2 quarts dandelion flowers

4 quarts boiling water

3 pounds granulated sugar

Clean the dandelion flowers and remove all green stalks, allow to sit overnight to wilt. In a large pot, pour over the flowers 4 quarts of boiling water. Allow this to stand two days, then strain and drain off all liquid. Discard the flowers. To the liquid, add the sugar and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into a jar, cover with cloth, and allow to stand for three weeks. (this may ferment so look into wine-making information to prevent contamination and/or explosion) Carefully remove to bottles. Take a tablespoon 3 times a day.