396 A COMPENDIUM OF 
used medicinally for sponge-tents, and cleans- 
ing wounds, etc. (See Dispensatory). 
Sevum, Suet.—This fat is obtained from the 
sheep, ovis artes, class Mammalia, and order 
Ruminantia. Suet, or mutton tallow, as it is 
more commonly called, is purified by melting 
in water, straining and allowing it to cool in 
shallow moulds or dishes. Suet occurs in solid 
white masses or cakes, with an odor of mutton, 
with the characteristic taste of the animal; 
melting at about 113° F. (45° C.) and containing 
oletn, stearin, palmitin and hircin, the stearin 
forming two-thirds or more of the entire con- 
stituents. The mutton suet is used externally 
as a protective and emollient, and as an ingre- 
dient in the emplastrum cantharides and unguen- 
tum hydragyri. Mutton suet must not be con- 
founded with fat obtained from the dos taurus, 
which yields the sevum bovinum, which is prin- 
cipally used in the manufacture of soaps, gly- 
cerine, etc. 
