692 ICHTHYOL 



ACTIONS AND USES. Pepsin dissolves proteids and con-j 

 verts them into peptones, but does not affect fats or carbo- 

 hydrates. Its therapeutic value is hence limited to young 

 herbivora while receiving milk, and to dogs living chiefly 

 on animal food. In such patients it is given along with 

 or immediately after meals. When gastric secretion in 

 the domestic animals is at fault, it is more probably from 

 deficiency of the acid than the pepsin, and such a condition 

 is appropriately treated by diluted hydrochloric acid, 

 administered with or after meals. 



Pepsin is sometimes used to dissolve fatty and malignant 

 tumours, into which it is injected mixed with a few drops 

 of hydrochloric acid. The B.P. Liquor Panereatis, con- 

 taining the digestive principles of the fresh pancreas of the 

 pig, is sometimes given instead of pepsin. 



DOSES, etc. Foals, calves, and dogs take of pepsin, grs. x. 

 to 3J-j usually given in water with a few drops of hydro- 

 chloric acid. The pepsin wines and essences seldom con- 

 tain much of the ferment. The glycerin of pepsin contains 

 five grains of pepsin in each drachm, with a small pro- 

 portion of hydrochloric acid. 



Papain, a vegetable pepsin, is obtained from the unripe 

 fruit and leaves of the Papaw (Carica papaya), a plant 

 found in the East and West Indies. It is a tasteless, 

 greyish- white amorphous powder ; soluble in glycerin. 

 While the animal pepsin acts only in acid solutions, the 

 vegetable papain is equally effectual in acid, neutral, and 

 alkaline solutions. A five per cent, solution is stated to 

 dissolve false membranes, and a ten per cent, solution has 

 been employed to destroy small malignant growths. Doses, 

 foals, calves, and dogs, grs. ii. to grs. xii. 



ICHTHYOL 



Ichthyol (Ammoniumsulphoichthyolate) is a reddish- 

 brown, tarry liquid, obtained from a Tyrolese bituminous 

 shale the fossil remains of decomposed aquatic animals, 

 by distillation, and by treating the product with sulphuric 

 acid and ammonia. It is soluble in water, glycerin, alcohol, 

 benzol, and fixed oils. Purified, it yields a clear oil with 



