420 CREOSOTE 



and diminish fee tor of the discharges. It may be used as an 

 antiseptic, hemostatic, and analgesic, and for the destruction 

 of skin parasites and bacteria. In large doses it is an 

 irritant poison and cardiac paralysant, just like carbolic 

 acid. 



[4 GENERAL ACTIONS. When undiluted, it coagulates al- 

 bumin and destroys the epithelium of mucous membranes, 

 and even of the skin, producing corrugation and a white 

 stain or scar. Diluted it is astringent and antiseptic, 

 irritates slightly, and then causes analgesia and feeble 

 anaesthesia. Although in saturated solution it has little 

 effect on enzymes, one part in five hundred of water arrests 

 the action of yeast, while one in one thousand kills bacteria 

 (Bucholtz). It is absorbed, and communicates its odour to 

 the various tissues. Large doses, given internally, cause 

 nausea ; in carnivora, vomiting, colicky pains, and diarrhoea, 

 with muscular paralysis, especially involving the heart, 

 and depressing the central nervous system. It is excreted 

 partly by the lungs, but chiefly by the kidneys. 



Toxic EFFECTS. Three drachms given to horses caused 

 slight and temporary feverishness, and imparted to the 

 breath a creosote odour (Hertwig.) Thirty drops given to 

 dogs caused uneasiness, copious salivation, vertigo, muscular 

 twitching, enfeebled and fluttering action of the heart, 

 laboured breathing, diminished sensibility, dulness, and 

 stupor. The symptoms came on within a few minutes, 

 and continued for two or three hours. For a day or two, 

 however, irritability of the stomach, occasional vomiting, 

 and dulness were still observable. Two dogs got two 

 drachms each, and died within three hours, evincing, 

 besides the symptoms above mentioned, violent convulsions 

 and complete coma. From the prominence of the con- 

 vulsions in these cases, it is probable that the creosote 

 was largely mixed with carbolic acid. The antidotes have 

 been enumerated (p. 412). 



MEDICINAL USES. It is prescribed in some forms of in- 

 digestion, to arrest undue fermentation, and in chronic 

 vomiting in dogs. With chalk and catechu mixture, or a 

 little laudanum and an aromatic, it helps to check diarrhoea 

 and dysentery in cattle. A few drops inhaled with steam 



